Marxist Theories of Crime

Marxism is a conflict structuralist perspective that views society as fundamentally divided by social class. From this starting point, Marxist sociologists argue that crime must be understood in the context of capitalist society — a system based on the exploitation of the working class by the ruling class. For Marxists, crime is not the result of individual pathology or inadequate socialisation but is an inevitable product of the way capitalism is organised.

Key Definition: Capitalism is an economic system based on private ownership of the means of production, in which goods and services are produced for profit. Marxists argue that capitalism generates inequality, exploitation, and crime.

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Traditional Marxism: Criminogenic Capitalism

Traditional Marxists argue that capitalism is criminogenic — that is, it is the nature of capitalism itself that causes crime. This argument has three key elements:

1. Capitalism Causes Crime Among the Working Class