Marxist Theories of Crime: AQA Sociology A Level Questions & Examples

Open

Maisie Wood

13/05/2023

Sociology

Marxist Theories of Crime - AQA Sociology A Level

Subjects

Sociology

Marxist Theories of Crime: AQA Sociology A Level Questions & Examples

Marxist theory of crime and its relationship with capitalism forms the foundation of understanding criminal behavior in society. The material explores how capitalist structures create conditions conducive to crime across all social classes, with particular emphasis on the formation of deviant subcultures and corporate criminality.

Key points:

Capitalist society is inherently criminogenic, fostering conditions that promote criminal behavior
Formation of deviant subcultures emerges from status frustration and structural inequalities
White-collar and corporate crimes are prevalent but often overlooked by the justice system
Economic self-interest and profit motivation drive criminal behavior across social classes
The law tends to favor powerful interests while disproportionately criminalizing working classes

13/05/2023

LESSON 7
Class Power and Crime
Marxism and Crime
Analyse two reasons for the formation of subcultures [10 marks]
Consensus theorist, Albert

Capitalist Society and Crime

This section delves deeper into the Marxist theory of crime, explaining how capitalist societies create conditions conducive to criminal behavior.

Key points include:

Crime as a rational response to inequality in capitalist societies
Relative poverty leading to survival crimes and exclusion from consumer society
The prevalence of white-collar and corporate crimes among the capitalist class

Quote: "Capitalist society is criminogenic; crime is a natural outgrowth of a capitalist society which emphasises economic self-interest, greed and personal gain."

Vocabulary: Relative poverty refers to the condition where individuals lack the minimum amount of income needed to maintain the average standard of living in their society.

The text introduces David Gordon's argument that crime is a rational response to capitalist values such as greed, profit, competition, and materialism. Gordon contends that the system ignores crimes committed by elite and middle classes, despite their likelihood of engaging in criminal activities.

Highlight: Capitalist societies are described as "dog eat dog societies" where individual and corporate interests are prioritized over community and environmental concerns.

The document also touches on the concept of alienation, suggesting that lack of control over one's life in a capitalist system may lead to frustration and aggression.

Definition: Alienation, in this context, refers to the sense of disconnection or estrangement from one's work, society, or self, often attributed to the conditions of capitalist labor.

Finally, the Marxist perspective on law is presented:

Laws reflect ruling class interests and ideology rather than a value consensus
Laws are seen as tools of the ruling class to protect private property

Example: William Chambliss's work is cited, arguing that laws are designed by the ruling class to protect private property.

View

Page 2: Criminogenic Capitalism

This section explores how capitalist society inherently generates criminal behavior.

Definition: Criminogenic capitalism refers to an economic system that naturally produces conditions conducive to crime.

Highlight: David Gordon's analysis shows crime as a rational response to capitalist values of greed, profit, and competition.

Quote: "Capitalist societies are 'dog eat dog societies' in which each individual company and each individual is encouraged to look out for their own interests."

View

Page 3: Corporate Crime and Legal Framework

The page analyzes corporate criminality through the Bhopal disaster case study.

Example: The Union Carbide disaster in Bhopal demonstrates how Marxist view on crime sociology manifests in corporate behavior.

Highlight: Snider's analysis shows how states often support capitalist interests over public safety.

Vocabulary: Corporate homicide refers to deaths caused by corporate negligence or misconduct.

View

Page 4: Critical Criminology Perspectives

This section presents critical perspectives on deterministic theories of crime.

Definition: Voluntaristic view sees crime as a conscious choice rather than determined by external factors.

Highlight: Taylor et al's perspective on crime as political resistance against capitalism.

Example: The 1970s mugging thesis by Hall demonstrates how economic crisis leads to social unrest and crime.

Can't find what you're looking for? Explore other subjects.

Knowunity is the #1 education app in five European countries

Knowunity has been named a featured story on Apple and has regularly topped the app store charts in the education category in Germany, Italy, Poland, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Join Knowunity today and help millions of students around the world.

Download in

Google Play

Download in

App Store

Knowunity is the #1 education app in five European countries

4.9+

Average app rating

21 M

Pupils love Knowunity

#1

In education app charts in 17 countries

950 K+

Students have uploaded notes

Still not convinced? See what other students are saying...

iOS User

I love this app so much, I also use it daily. I recommend Knowunity to everyone!!! I went from a D to an A with it :D

Philip, iOS User

The app is very simple and well designed. So far I have always found everything I was looking for :D

Lena, iOS user

I love this app ❤️ I actually use it every time I study.

Subjects

Sociology

•

807

•

13 May 2023

•

5 pages

Marxist Theories of Crime: AQA Sociology A Level Questions & Examples

Maisie Wood

@alevel.revisionnotes

Marxist theory of crimeand its relationship with capitalism forms the foundation of understanding criminal behavior in society. The material explores how capitalist structures create conditions conducive to crime across all social classes, with particular emphasis on the formation of... Show more

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Capitalist Society and Crime

This section delves deeper into the Marxist theory of crime, explaining how capitalist societies create conditions conducive to criminal behavior.

Key points include:

Crime as a rational response to inequality in capitalist societies
Relative poverty leading to survival crimes and exclusion from consumer society
The prevalence of white-collar and corporate crimes among the capitalist class

Quote: "Capitalist society is criminogenic; crime is a natural outgrowth of a capitalist society which emphasises economic self-interest, greed and personal gain."

Vocabulary: Relative poverty refers to the condition where individuals lack the minimum amount of income needed to maintain the average standard of living in their society.

Highlight: Capitalist societies are described as "dog eat dog societies" where individual and corporate interests are prioritized over community and environmental concerns.

The document also touches on the concept of alienation, suggesting that lack of control over one's life in a capitalist system may lead to frustration and aggression.

Definition: Alienation, in this context, refers to the sense of disconnection or estrangement from one's work, society, or self, often attributed to the conditions of capitalist labor.

Finally, the Marxist perspective on law is presented:

Laws reflect ruling class interests and ideology rather than a value consensus
Laws are seen as tools of the ruling class to protect private property

Example: William Chambliss's work is cited, arguing that laws are designed by the ruling class to protect private property.

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Page 2: Criminogenic Capitalism

This section explores how capitalist society inherently generates criminal behavior.

Definition: Criminogenic capitalism refers to an economic system that naturally produces conditions conducive to crime.

Highlight: David Gordon's analysis shows crime as a rational response to capitalist values of greed, profit, and competition.

Quote: "Capitalist societies are 'dog eat dog societies' in which each individual company and each individual is encouraged to look out for their own interests."

Page 3: Corporate Crime and Legal Framework

The page analyzes corporate criminality through the Bhopal disaster case study.

Example: The Union Carbide disaster in Bhopal demonstrates how Marxist view on crime sociology manifests in corporate behavior.

Highlight: Snider's analysis shows how states often support capitalist interests over public safety.

Vocabulary: Corporate homicide refers to deaths caused by corporate negligence or misconduct.

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Page 4: Critical Criminology Perspectives

This section presents critical perspectives on deterministic theories of crime.

Definition: Voluntaristic view sees crime as a conscious choice rather than determined by external factors.

Highlight: Taylor et al's perspective on crime as political resistance against capitalism.

Example: The 1970s mugging thesis by Hall demonstrates how economic crisis leads to social unrest and crime.

Class Power and Crime: Marxism and Crime

This lesson explores Marxist theories of crime and their analysis of how class power dynamics in capitalist societies contribute to criminal behavior and the formation of deviant subcultures.

The document begins by discussing consensus and interactionist theories on subculture formation before delving into the Marxist perspective. Key points include:

Status frustration and negative labeling as explanations for subculture formation
Marxist critique of consensus theories for blaming the working class
The concept of master status and self-fulfilling prophecy in deviance
Marxism's view of crime as rooted in societal structure and class conflict

Definition: Criminogenic refers to factors or conditions that are likely to cause or promote criminal behavior.

Highlight: Marxists argue that capitalism is criminogenic, inevitably leading to crime due to exploitation, inequality, and the emphasis on economic self-interest.

The Marxist approach identifies several key issues related to crime:

Manipulation of societal values and morality
The process of law creation
Law enforcement
Individual motivation

Example: White-collar crime is seen as a result of capitalist values encouraging greed and personal gain across all social classes.

We thought you’d never ask...

What is the Knowunity AI companion?

Our AI Companion is a student-focused AI tool that offers more than just answers. Built on millions of Knowunity resources, it provides relevant information, personalised study plans, quizzes, and content directly in the chat, adapting to your individual learning journey.

Where can I download the Knowunity app?

You can download the app from Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

Is Knowunity really free of charge?

That's right! Enjoy free access to study content, connect with fellow students, and get instant help – all at your fingertips.

Can't find what you're looking for? Explore other subjects.

Students love us — and so will you.

4.9/5

App Store

4.8/5

Google Play

The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.

Stefan S

iOS user

This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.

Samantha Klich

Android user

Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.

Anna

iOS user

Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good

Thomas R

iOS user

Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.

Basil

Android user

This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.

David K

iOS user

The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!

Sudenaz Ocak

Android user

In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.

Greenlight Bonnie

Android user

very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.

Rohan U

Android user

I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.

Xander S

iOS user

THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮

Elisha

iOS user

This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now

Paul T

iOS user

Stefan S

iOS user

Samantha Klich

Android user

Anna

iOS user

Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good

Thomas R

iOS user

Basil

Android user

David K

iOS user

Sudenaz Ocak

Android user

In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.

Greenlight Bonnie

Android user

Rohan U

Android user

Xander S

iOS user

Elisha

iOS user

Paul T

iOS user