Sociology Chapter 11: Conflict Theories

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Questions and Answers

What is a major critique of Structural Marxism?

It focuses too heavily on human agency.

It fails to address environmental factors.

It overlooks economic inequalities.

It places excessive importance on structure over human agency. (correct)

Which of the following elements is highlighted in the 'square of crime' as emphasized by Left Realism?

Socioeconomic status and crime rates

Only the police and the public

Crime prevention strategies

The offender, victim, police, and public (correct)

According to Left Realism, which demographic experiences the highest rates of street crime?

Affluent families

Middle-aged professionals

Unemployed teenagers

Racial minorities and the working class (correct)

What do victimization surveys aim to measure according to Left Realism?

Public perceptions and beliefs about street crime Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of a working-class criminology as suggested by Left Realism?

Examining and providing solutions to street crime Signup and view all the answers

What does Quinney's Group Conflict Theory primarily focus on?

Segments of society as social groupings Signup and view all the answers

Which proposition states that crime is defined by authorized agents?

First Proposition Signup and view all the answers

According to Quinney, what influences the formulation of criminal definitions?

Powerful segments of society Signup and view all the answers

What does the fourth proposition of Quinney's theory entail?

Behavioral patterns relate to criminal definitions Signup and view all the answers

What do Marxist theories primarily analyze in relation to crime?

The relationship between crime and social structures Signup and view all the answers

What is the outcome of the application of criminal definitions according to Quinney?

Selective enforcement of criminal law Signup and view all the answers

According to Marxist perspectives, what aspect of capitalism promotes conflict and leads to crime?

Precipitating conditions such as unemployment Signup and view all the answers

How does Quinney believe conceptions of crime are constructed?

By various means of communication, including media Signup and view all the answers

What does Instrumental Marxism suggest about the role of the state and legal institutions?

They reflect the interests of the capitalist class. Signup and view all the answers

What criticism is commonly associated with Conflict Theory?

It explains only a limited range of crimes. Signup and view all the answers

According to Quinney's critical Marxist theory of crime control, what is American society centered around?

An advanced capitalist economy Signup and view all the answers

What does Quinney identify as a result of the inequalities in decision-making regarding public policy?

Powerful segments protecting their own interests Signup and view all the answers

In what way does criminal law function according to Instrumental Marxism?

As an instrument of the ruling class Signup and view all the answers

What is a key assumption of Instrumental Marxism regarding the formation of law?

It is controlled by the capitalist class. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following propositions is not part of Quinney's critical Marxist theory?

The state promotes welfare for all citizens. Signup and view all the answers

What does Marxist conflict theory suggest should be studied alongside law and crime?

The economic sphere Signup and view all the answers

Which strategy focuses on creating alternatives to incarceration?

Developing community service Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary critique of Left Realism?

It ignores economic and cultural factors Signup and view all the answers

According to conflict theory, what primarily drives crime?

Divisions and conflicts in society Signup and view all the answers

What does Sellin's cultural conflict theory suggest about crime?

It occurs when group conduct norms conflict with dominant norms Signup and view all the answers

What do Instrumental Marxists believe about the state and legal system?

They are manipulated by the ruling class Signup and view all the answers

According to Vold's group conflict theory, crime results from what?

Conflict between interest groups Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a focus of the suggested crime control strategies?

Increased prison sentence lengths Signup and view all the answers

What do Structural Marxists argue about the state?

It has a degree of independence and autonomy Signup and view all the answers

What is the main assumption of the conflict perspective regarding social laws?

Laws serve the interests of powerful groups. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following represents the focus of Sellin's cultural conflict theory?

Diverse cultural groups with distinct conduct norms. Signup and view all the answers

What aspect differentiates Vold's interest group conflict theory from Sellin's cultural conflict theory?

Emphasis on group interests rather than cultural norms. Signup and view all the answers

What does Quinney's group conflict theory emphasize in contrast to Vold's and Sellin's theories?

The effects of structural inequalities on crime. Signup and view all the answers

In Marx’s concept, what do the terms 'economic base' and 'superstructure' refer to, respectively?

The economic realities shaping social institutions and ideological frameworks. Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes instrumental Marxism from structural Marxism?

Instrumental Marxism views law as a tool for oppressive groups. Signup and view all the answers

Which aspect of left realism is primarily concerned with?

The impact of crime on marginalized communities. Signup and view all the answers

What is a major critique of consensus perspectives in understanding social order?

They overlook the role of power dynamics. Signup and view all the answers

What role do institutions and agencies play in crime control within a capitalist society?

They serve the interests of the ruling class. Signup and view all the answers

According to the argument presented, what is necessary for a solution to crime?

A complete collapse of capitalist society. Signup and view all the answers

How does instrumental Marxism misrepresent the ruling class?

By portraying it as homogeneous. Signup and view all the answers

What does structural Marxism argue about state institutions?

They function with relative autonomy for capitalism's long-term interests. Signup and view all the answers

What inconsistency in laws does structural Marxism highlight?

Laws that benefit the less powerful can be ineffective. Signup and view all the answers

What is a critique of instrumental Marxism regarding the economic base and superstructure?

It fails to recognize the economic base's role in shaping the superstructure. Signup and view all the answers

What is a defining characteristic of the state's relation to capitalism, according to structural Marxism?

It needs relative autonomy to uphold capitalism's stability. Signup and view all the answers

What do some laws enacted by the state aim to achieve, as per structural Marxism?

They aim to create widespread consent for the existing social order. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Chapter 11: Conflict Theories

Conflict theory posits that societies are more divided by conflict than integrated by consensus.
Consensus perspective assumes a general agreement on societal matters, with social institutions (family, education, government, religion, and economy) contributing to societal harmony.
Conflict perspective suggests criminal law reflects the interests of powerful groups who create and enforce these laws.
Conflict theorists challenge the idea that laws represent the interests of the entire society. Instead, they posit that societal norms and values codified in law are endorsed by powerful, dominant groups.

Cultural Conflict Theory: Thorsten Sellin

Sellin (1938) proposed that modern society consists of diverse cultural groups, each with distinct "conduct norms" that guide behavior.
Conflict arises when conduct norms of different cultural groups clash, as seen in the differing norms between immigrant and dominant cultures.
Criminal law often reflects the conduct norms of the dominant group, leading to conflict for individuals adhering to other cultural norms.

Group Conflict Theory: George Vold

Vold (1958) focused on crime stemming from conflict between competing interest groups.
Law-making is a political process where conflict between interest groups shapes the legislation.
Criminal behavior can result from two types of group conflict:
- Conflict between a minority group's behavior and the dominant group's laws (e.g., delinquent gangs).
- Conflict between competing interest groups over power (e.g., political revolutions).

Group Conflict Theory: Richard Quinney

Quinney's (1970) conflict theory expands on Vold's interest group concept by defining societal segments (social groupings).
More powerful social segments exert influence on criminal law, safeguarding their interests and potentially disregarding the needs of other segments.

Quinney's Six Propositions

Crime's definition is established by influential agents within a politically structured society.
Criminal definitions describe behaviors conflicting with segments of society holding power over public policy.
These powerful segments apply criminal definitions in the enforcement and administering of criminal law.
Behavior patterns develop in accordance with societal segment organizations and criminal definitions.
Concepts of crime are shaped and diffused through societal segments, using communication channels (e.g., mass media).
The formulation and application of criminal definitions construct societal crime perceptions.

Marxist Conflict Perspectives

Marxist criminology analyzes the link between crime and the societal structure, specifically focusing on the relationship between crime and the social world.
Marxist theorists focus on social, political, and economic structures as the root causes of crime, rather than individual pathologies.
Capitalism's political and economic systems can drive conflict, creating conditions for crime (e.g., unemployment).
Conflict is not seen in isolation, but rather as interconnected with the broader societal and economic sphere.

Instrumental Marxism

Instrumental Marxism views the state and legal systems as directly reflecting the interests of the ruling (capitalist) class.
Law is a tool used by the ruling class to maintain its power. The focus is on the coercive nature of law.
In the Critique of the Legal Order, Quinney (1974) proposes six propositions summarizing critical Marxist theory on crime control.
- American society's structure is rooted in advanced capitalism.
- The states' purpose is to protect dominant economic class interests.
- Criminal law serves to perpetuate the existing social and economic order.
- Crime control in capitalist societies is exerted through institutions and agencies controlled by the ruling class.
- The persistence of oppression of underclass groups is due to contradictions in capitalist systems.
- A socialist society's emergence would resolve crime problems.

Structural Marxism

Structural Marxism differs from instrumental Marxism by emphasizing the state's relative autonomy.
State institutions may function in the long-term interests of capitalism to perpetuate the capitalist system.

Left Realism

Left realism emphasizes the need to examine crime through the "square of crime"-- the interrelationships between offender, victim, police, and the general public.
Left realists concentrate on working-class crime and the serious harm it causes, recognizing the disproportionate impact on women and minority groups.
Use victimization surveys to understand crime from a working-class perspective, and promote non-repressive crime control solutions.
Left realism emphasizes a concrete approach to solving working-class crime, using strategies like community service, and victim restitution.

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Description

Explore Chapter 11 on Conflict Theories in Sociology, focusing on how societal divisions arise from conflicting interests rather than consensus. Learn about Thorsten Sellin's Cultural Conflict Theory which highlights clashes between different cultural norms.