Marxism

• Claims

  • social structure theory, Capitalism Theory
  • capitalism creates massive inequality and poverty leading to a disadvantaged proletariat (working class)
  • it is acceptable to hurt others in the process of capitalism
  • criminal justice system concerns itself with policing and punishing the proletariat
• Components

  • William Chambliss: massive inequality gives the working class a sense of injustice which leads to economic and violent crimes
  • David Gordon: capitalism encourages self interest which increases poverty and inequality
• Credibility

  • highlights the impact of selective law enforcement
  • demonstrates how the law reflects differences in power between the bourgeoise and the proletariat
  • empirical data
  • lacks scientific credibility
  • deterministic
  • reductionist
• Application

  • Jordan Belfort: committed white collar crime and corporate crime, harming people in his business to work to the top in the name of capitalism
• Refuting Evidence

  • not all working class people commit crimes
  • not all capitalist societies have high crime rates (E.g. Japan, Switzerland)
  • outdated
  • rich people can be/are prosecuted
• Supporting Evidence

  • prosecutions have been made for white collar crime and corporate crime
  • Lauren Snider 1990: bourgeoise pass laws that don't criminalise themselves and don' like passing laws that would control big businesses or corporations