Purpose and Function of the Law (Chambliss)

According to Chambliss, what is the purpose of the law?

• protect private property

• protect wealth

What are 2 examples of how capitalists have used the law to protect their private property and wealth?

• vagrancy laws (1349)

• East Africa 

How are vagrancy laws (1349) an example of how capitalists have used the law to protect their private property and wealth?

• there was a shortage of labour after the Black Death

• it was illegal to give money to any individual of sound mind or body who was unemployed

• the poor were forced to work for landowners to survive

• individuals were threatened with imprisoned if they refused to work offers from landowners

How is East Africa an example of how capitalists have used the law to protect their private property and wealth?

• when the British colonised East Africa, the economy of the natives was not based on money, but on trading goods with one another

• the British, wanting to use the population as cheap labour working on tea and coffee plantations, introduced a tax 

• the population had to work on the plantations to pay the tax

• wages were kept low to ensure that workers could not earn enough to consider quitting before the harvest season was over