CCJS 105 Chapter Notes - Chapter 8: Critical Criminology, Proletariat, Lumpenproletariat

• School: University of Maryland
• Department: Criminology and Criminal Justice
• Course: CCJS 105
• Professor: Kiminori Nakamura

Document Summary

Concentrate on power relationships as variables to the exclusion of almost everything else. Critical criminology: an umbrella term for a variety of theories united only by the assumption that conflict and power relations between various classes of people best characterize the nature of society. Class struggle: marxist concept stating that all history is the history of class struggles. Bourgeoisie: in marxism, the owners of the means of production. Bourgeoisie strive to keep the cost of labor at a minimum, proletariat strive to sell its labor at the highest possible price. Opposing goals are the major source of conflict. Lumpenproletariat: the lowest ( criminal class ) class in marxist theory. Primitive rebellion hypothesis: marxist idea that crime is simply the product of people rebelling against unjust and alienating social conditions. Alienation: a condition that describes the estrangement or distancing of individuals from something, such as another person or from society in general.