Neo - Marxism

Question 1

What is Neo - Marxism?

Answer 1

It is based on Marxism however they are slightly critical of external factors for crime such as poverty, inequality or criminogenic values and recognise individual agency from interactionism

Question 2

What does Taylor, Walton and Young (1972) argue about criminality?

Answer 2

The motivation to commit crime causes political action. Theft, robbery and burglary are attempts to redistribute wealth from the rich to the poor. Vandalism is a symbolic attack on capitalism’s obsession with property and drug taking reflects contempt for the material values of capitalism arguing criminals are revolutionaries to alter capitalism. They argue the ruiling class are aware of this threat so they can control working class areas through intensive policing

Question 3

What is Hall’s view on crime?

Answer 3

He applies labelling theory and moral panics to media response to 1970s black muggers. They are placed in an economic recession, mass unemployment, strikes and radical protests that threatened the ability of the ruiling class as they are used as a scapegoat

Question 4

How can neo - Marxists be evaluated?

Answer 4

• crimes against the vulnerable such as demonstrations, riots, assassinations and terrorism can’t only be defined through political justifications
• they romanticise criminals through the roving hood thesis
• they believe ordinary criminals possess a political consciousness but most crimes are opportunistic
• resistance isn’t necessarily conscious as they may only want to alleviate their inequality
• constraint with Neo - tribes
• Mcrobbie (1991) argue crime is male-stream