Marxism

• Like Functionalism, Marxism sees the structures and institutions of society as largely determining how people behave.

• Crime is generated by the structure of capitalist society.

• Capitalism emphasises individual gain rather than collective wellbeing.

• Capitalism is a competitive system which encourages aggression and emphasises the importance of winning.

• An exploitive system where some gain at the expense of others.

• Given these priorities it is short step to seeing the end as justifying the means.

• Personal gain is so important that breaking the law is seen as a minor barrier to success.

• Pressures to break the law will affect people from all social classes.

• Crimes motivated by financial gain can be seen as a logical outcome of the priorities of profit.

• Crimes with no apparent financial motive can be seen as an expression of frustration, aggression and hostility which the system produces.

The Law

• Laws represent the interests of the ruling class.

• Eg vagrancy laws of medieval England. The Black Death cut the labour force in half so unemployed forced to work.

• The many laws protecting private property reflect the growth of industry and the expansion of trade and profit.

• Laws which appear to protect the working-class also benefit the ruling class eg health and safety laws.

• Laws which are not passed are also important.

• The ruling class defines and controls what is defined as criminal.

Law Enforcement

• ‘One law for the rich and one law for the poor’.

• The law is enforced selectively.

• There is a systematic bias in favour of those at the top.

Criticisms

• Explains crime of all social classes.

• Explains a wide variety of offences.

• Explains the selective enforcement of the law.

Criticisms

• However does not explain crime in a Communist society.

• Many sociologists reject the view that there is a fundamental conflict of interest between the ruling and subject classes in capitalist societies and the exploitation of one by the other.