Marxism

• Marxism


  A theory that society is divided into two classes: the ruling capitalists who own the means of production (bourgeoisie) and the working class whose labour is exploited (proletariat)
• Capitalism

  Causes crime
• Reason for crime under capitalism

  Exploitation of the working class drives people to poverty, meaning that crime is the only way to survive
• Reason for crime under capitalism

  It promotes greed which encourages capitalists to commit corporate crime
• Marxism argues that law making/enforcement is biased to protect private property of the rich
• Marxism argues that very few laws challenge unequal distribution of wealth
• Marxism strengths

  • It provides an explanation for crime that covers all social classes and a variety of offences.
  • It highlights the impact of selective law enforcement and how white-collar crime is under-policed.
  • Marxism demonstrates how the law reflects differences in power between the classes.
• Marxism Weaknesses

  • It focuses on class and largely ignores relationship between crime and other inequalities.
  • it over predicts the amount of crime in working class communities.
  • Not all capitalist societies have high crime rates.