Marxism Crime & Deviance

(Germov, 2014). Marxism theory emphasises the hope for profit maximisation and through the use of power can create unsafe workplace and living conditions resulting in increased rates of morbidity and mortality among disadvantaged groups in Australia. (Germov,

Crime is often described as socially constructed, which influences our understanding of who commits a crime. Firstly, labelling theorists argue that crime is a social construction based on the powerful’s reaction to certain behaviour, those who are deviant are people that have been labelled as such. Marxists claim the bourgeoise construct crime in order to criminalise the proletariat, get away with their own deviance and maintain their own dominance. Neo-marxists look at how moral panics create a social construction of crime and can criminalise certain groups. Finally, feminists, argue crime is constructed in a patriarchal way and that the criminal justice system is harsher to female offenders. Whereas others criticise these theories for

In comparison Merton’s theory put forward a entirely different rationalisation of the causes of crime, and juxtaposing major ideals about who commits these crimes, Marxists points out that absence of egalitarianism of opportunity is at the centre of the capitalist system and Merton contends that not all individuals who lack genuine opportunities look to crime to do so. (Eglin and Hester, 2013).

Marxism is a theory that analyses social hierarchy and class struggle though the proletariats (lower class) and the

Marxism (1895–1900) is the economic and political theory and practice originated by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels that holds that actions and human institutions are economically determined, that the class struggle is the basic agency of historical change, and that capitalism will ultimately be superseded by communism. They include the notion of economic determinism that political and social structures are determined by the economic conditions of people. Marxism calls for a classless society where all means of production are commonly owned, a system to be reached as an inevitable result

Marxist Theory and Crime and Punishment Throughout human history countless philosophers have risen with what they thought to be the best form of government for society as a whole.  Karl Marx may be the most influential philosopher in Russian history.  According to The Free Dictionary, Marxism is the concept that “class struggle plays a central role in understanding society's allegedly inevitable development from bourgeois oppression under capitalism to a socialist and ultimately classless society”.  With this theory, Marx had a great impact on Russian literature; specifically,  Fyodor Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment.  According the the Marxist theory, one would interpret Crime and Punishment as a perfect example to

Marxism is a conflict theory founded by German Philosopher and Sociologist Karl Marx in the 19th Century. It brings forth the idea that society is imbalanced and biased.

Traditional Marxists also explore the ideological nature of the law; this function is valuable in allowing the ruling class to maintain their position of wealth. This process is what Althusser named the ideological state apparatus. This includes the school and the variety of forms of media, and it is through these that the ruling class is able to socialise individuals into accepting ruling class ideology. ISAs are responsible for promoting ruling class values of self interest and competition and as a result create a society in which basic values support the capitalist political and economic system. Marxists also believe that crime and the law can perform an ideological function by essentially brain washing individuals. For example some laws may appear to benefit the working class for example the health and safety laws at work, but these, according to a Marxist Frank Pearce are only there to benefit the capitalists by ensuring a fit and healthy work force. In addition to this by prosecuting a large proportion of the working class it makes it look like the capitalists are

Marxism is a theory based on “a materialist interpretation of historical development and a dialectical view of social transformation” (Wikipedia, 2017) by philosophers Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Marxism focuses on social contradictions and the struggle between socioeconomic classes, which are proletariat, who are the poor people and the working class; and bourgeoisie, the rich people that control the means of production. Marxist theory states that the only way to eliminate the differences between both classes is a violent revolution that will lead to a communist society.

Marxism tries to explain things by look at the world differently, the purpose is to look at the existence of a world or of forces beyond the natural world around us, and the society we live in. It looks for concrete, scientific, logical explanations of the world. The Marxist theory developed when Karl Marx and his friend Frederich Engels wrote The Communist Manifesto in 1848, focuses on class in societies, Marxism attempts to change the world while other philosophies look to merely understand it. Marx wanted to better understand how so many people could be in poverty in a world where there is so much wealth. His answer was simple: capitalism.

Crime in the light of critical criminology is an obvious outcome of disparities established in a system. Capitalist economic policies result in economic misery among powerless class in society and certain conditions are created in which adapting the criminal behaviors become the only possible survival strategy. Critical criminology follows the Marxist approach in stating that criminal laws are based on the interests of

This was developed by Marx and Engels. The goal was to show how crime was putting a decline on society. As both of them saw this being a problem they proposed revolution followed by socialism. Though as we saw conflict of interest this was normally between two groups with the scarce resource. In my views you saw this between the labors who make minimum wage, and the people who made all the money. This is where conflict comes in because one thinks they should make the same money. Though as we know as these two groups would play out they would try to redistribute the scarce resource. Though we know capitalism played a major factor because it was the conflict because of the unjust inequality. Though in the book it talks about how Marx and Engels

In a society, crime is inevitable. Crime has its effect to the society’s moral and behavioral standard because it distinguishes the line between right and wrong. Since the society transform from an agricultural and domestic to a modern society, more people are educated. This transformation created different classes in a society, upper class, middle class and lower class. Karl Marx suggested that capitalism inherent a class system in which class relations are characterized by conflict. Although owners of capital and workers are dependent on the other – the capitalists require labours to produce products; where workers need wages from the owners– the dependency is highly unbalanced (Giddens, 2009). Therefore, workers have been living under

How does Class, state ,and social controls within a capitalistic society lead to increase crime due to the criminal laws and criminal justice system imposed on the lower middle class.

Marxist say that all laws are basically used for the benefit of the ruling class, and that the ruling class uses the law to reflect their own interests (Akers & Sellers, 2013). So, Marxist then say that criminal law therefore works to protect the rich and powerful (Akers & Sellers, 2013). Marx disagreed with the argument that people entered” freely to the social contract, and that the law was great for everyone,” (Bernard, et al., 2016; 270). Marx viewed that this was wrong and that there was an “unequal distribution of wealth and this led to an unequal balance of power,” (Bernard, et al., 2016; 270). Marxism then claims that the main cause of crime is the result of capitalism (Akers & Sellers, 2013). There is a tendency of laws to imply that the working class are more likely doing wrong. This also implies that the group that owns the production, has the control. Not only did the ruling class use the law against the working class, but in Akers & Sellers book Criminological Theories: Introduction, Evaluation, Application they noted that the political state even used the law against the working class (Akers & Sellers,