Neo-Marxist (NM) view on crime

What do they argue about the w/c that is different to traditional marxists?

They argue that the w/c are not passive victims (like Marxists argue) and are aware of the oppression

• This means that they use crime as a way to fight back against the system.

What are some examples of w/c crime NM’s argue they commit to go against the system?

Crimes like theft and property is what Neo-Marxists see as understandable as they have a ‘Robin Hood’ view (stealing from the rich to benefit the poor.)

The proletariat involve themselves in:

• Theft (A reaction to wealth inequality)

• Assault (Gilroy argues that EMG like black boys commit assault as they experience racism; it is to gain respect)

• Vandalism (A symbolic attack on society’s obsession with property)

What do Taylor et al agree with traditional Marxists about w/c individuals and crime?

They agree that explotation are characterised by extreme inequalities of wealth and power

What do Taylor et al argue about w/c individuals and crime that differentiates from traditional Marxists?

They argue that Marxism is too deterministic, and instead take a more voluntaristic view

• People have free will and crime is committed with conscious choices made (they’re not passive puppets)

Taylor et al aim to create a ‘fully social theory of deviance’ using Marxist ideas on the unequal distribution of wealth, as well as interactionist ideas and the labeling theory to understand the meaning of the deviant act.

How does Hall’s study explain the labelling theory upon w/c individuals with crime?

He studies the increase of mugging; using a Marxist approach since the w/c is blamed for the crime rates rising. But, as the bourgeoise shifted the blame of the economic crisis’ to w/c ethnic minorities, they were targeted more (labelling)

• In his Neo-Marxist theory, he links the media’s influence of the moral panic; it acts as an ideological state apparatus to focus the attention of certain individuals like the w/c

How do we summarise Hall’s study with looking at labeling and crime?

• Crime is occurring because of the lack of policing of the bourgeoisie; crime is exaggerated by the media to divert attention from economic problems and make people scared of immigration

• However, using these ideas to tackle crime is too idealistic as they’re not realising that crime doesn’t only happen because of oppression or labeling (they also ignore the attempts to reform capitalism)