Question 1

Marxist theory clearly specifies how laborers will lose their false consciousness.

Accepted Answer

Marxist theory identifies the concept of false consciousness but does not provide a clear, detailed roadmap for how laborers will overcome it, leaving the process somewhat open to interpretation and dependent on the development of class consciousness and revolutionary activities.

Question 2

Marxist theorists suggest capitalism can be used to reduce deviant behavior and group conflict.

Accepted Answer

Marxist theorists generally argue that capitalism exacerbates social inequalities and class conflicts, which can increase deviant behavior rather than reduce it.

Question 3

According to Marxist theories, the law is the tool for powerless groups to ensure interests and services of need are met.

Accepted Answer

According to Marxist theories, the law is seen as a tool for the ruling class to maintain its power and suppress the working class, not for protecting the interests of powerless groups.

Question 4

The term "dialectic" in the phrase "dialectical materialism" refers to negotiating contradictions.

Accepted Answer

Dialectic, in the context of dialectical materialism, refers to the process of resolving contradictions through their interaction, leading to the development of new, higher states of understanding or conditions.

Question 5

William Bonger built upon Marxist ideas and explicitly related them to the topic of crime in his book Criminality and Economic Conditions.

Accepted Answer

Willem Bonger was a Dutch criminologist who indeed built upon Marxist ideas, arguing in his seminal work "Criminality and Economic Conditions" that economic conditions, specifically capitalism, play a significant role in the development of criminal behavior.

Question 6

In his article "Toward a Political Economy of Crime," William Chambliss (1975) argues that the only question that matters is, "Why do some individuals become involved with criminal behavior, while others do not?"

Accepted Answer

Chambliss's work goes beyond individual behavior to examine the structural and systemic factors that contribute to crime, including the role of economic and political power.

Question 7

A Marxian paradigm of crime and criminal law suggest that members of the ruling class will be able to violate the laws with impunity while members of the subject classes will be punished

Accepted Answer

The Marxian paradigm of crime and criminal law posits that the legal system and laws are tools used by the ruling class to maintain their power and control over the working or subject classes. This perspective suggests that the ruling class can often violate laws without facing the same consequences as those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, reflecting a systemic bias in how laws are applied and enforced.

Question 8

A criticism of conflict and Marxist theorists is that they claim class conflict cannot explain individual acts of deviance.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A criticism of conflict and Marxist theorists...

Question 9

Conflict theories play a key role in allowing us to question how deviance is defined and used to maintain positions of power in society.

Accepted Answer

Conflict theories suggest that societal norms and laws are established by those in power to maintain their dominance, and thus, deviance is defined in a way that serves to control or marginalize those who threaten their position, allowing for critical examination of power dynamics in society.

Question 10

Using examples, briefly describe the role played in dialectical materialism by thesis, antithesis, and synthesis of an idea.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Using examples, briefly describe the role played...

Question 11

List the assumptions of Marxist and conflict theories. Provide questions this type of research might ask.

Accepted Answer

The answer of List the assumptions of Marxist and conflict...

Question 12

Compare and contrast Marxist and conflict theories.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Compare and contrast Marxist and conflict theories....

Question 13

Discuss common criticisms of Marxist and conflict theories.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Discuss common criticisms of Marxist and conflict...

Quiz 9: Marxist and Conflict Theories of Deviance