Merton

american dream

Claims

The ‘American Dream’ encourages individuals to pursue a goal of success which is measured in terms of wealth and possessions. Therefore the ‘American Dream’ can encourage deviance and crime. People are expected to pursue ‘The American Dream’ through legitimate ways and means. 

Merton claimed that there is a problem with making everyone aspire to the same goal. 

Martons main concern was that societies, such as the US, do not provide the means for everyone to achieve the same social goals. 

This forces the individuals to either work withing the structure society has produced or get nowhere in life or instead become a member of deviant/ criminal subculture to achieve those goals. 

The strain of not being to achieve social goals legitimately means that individuals may turn to illegitimate means of achieving social goals. 

Merton's theory developed Durkheim’s and links to anomie. When people are denied the means to achieve social goals this strain can lead to anomie. 

Components

1. Conformity- People continuing to try and achieve their goals through legitimate means, through conforming to society’s norms and values. E.g. working hard to get a promotion at work. 

2. Ritualism- People give up on their goals but continue to go through the motions of life in a ritual like a fashion. E.g. just turning up to work every day. 

3. Innovation- People realise that they will not achieve their goals through legitimate means, so innovate their means to achieve them. E.g. Robbing a bank rather than working in one. 

4. Retreatism- People give up on their goals, reject any means to reach them and so retreat from mainstream society. E.g. Dropping out of work to become a drug addict. 

5. Rebellion- People reject society’s goals and the means of achieving them, so rebel against society. E.g. Dropping out of work to engage in terrorist activity.] 

credibility

• Merton was first to suggest that crime can be linked to the inability to achieve social goals. 

• First sociologist to suggest the idea of subcultures in society. 

• Explains the higher rates of offending among lower social classes. 

 

• Lacks scientific credibility as you cant test it 

• Does not explain violent crime 

• Reductionist  

• Deterministic 

Application

Response	Crimes that do apply	Crimes that don’t apply
Conformity and ritualism	-	-
Innovation	Robbing a bank rather than working in one.	Violent/fatal offences
Retreatism	Quitting a job and becoming a drug addict.	Fraud and other economic offences.
Rebellion	Quitting a job and becoming a terrorist.	Fraud and other economic offences.

Refuting

Hirschi (1969): social bond theory- argued that Merton’s theory is not supported empirically. 

Taylor (1973): emphasis on criminality in lower, classes fail to examine why elites break laws, such as corporate criminals. 

Supporting

Nightingale (1990): developed Merons strain theory, applying it successfully to inner city youths in the 1990s. 

Baumer (2007): analysed official data and found crime rates were higher in areas where there was a ‘high commitment to monetary success’ alongside a ‘weak commitment to legitimate means’