Difference Between Feminist and Marxist Theory

¶ … feminist theories: Criminology Critical theories of criminology are associated with the writings of Karl Marx. Marx viewed the entirety of human existence as a class struggle between the haves and the have-nots of the world. Marx viewed crime as a symptom of social injustice. "Crime in capitalist societies is often a rational response to the circumstances in which people find themselves" when they have no other recourse to feed their families (Chapter 6: Critical theories: Marxist, critical, and feminist, n.d., Sage: 94).

The archetypical criminal-who-is-not-really-a-criminal in the eyes of such a criminologist might be Jean Valjean: a man whose family is starving to death, so he steals a loaf of bread.

Similarly, if members of the underclass believe they have no potential social mobility or access to education, they may resort to selling drugs or petty theft as a way of getting some kind of a part of the 'American dream.' Additionally, critical theorists also assert that because members of the proletariat class are alienated from the products of their labor (which they produce for others to be bought and sold, not for themselves) this creates a sense of alienation from society, which further gives rise to crime.

For critical theorists, crime is not the product of abnormal psychology and crimes are only deemed as such because they suit the needs of persons in power. Although Marx himself took a rather dismissive view of criminals, critical Marxist criminologists are often sympathetic to the so-called criminal class. The true crimes, they believe, are the crimes of social oppression perpetuated against disenfranchised groups.

Quite often, the crimes of the 'haves' such as the bankers during the recent financial crisis, are overlooked, while the crimes of the 'have-nots' are severely punished and extenuating circumstances are ignored. The only way to address crime is to address poverty. Feminist criminologists also take a critical view of how crime is conceptualized within our society.

"Feminists see women as oppressed both by gender inequality (their social position in a sexist culture) and by class inequality (their economic position in a capitalist society)" (Chapter 6: Critical theories: Marxist, critical, and feminist, n.d., Sage: 100). Women are more likely to be the victims of crimes than the perpetrators. They are also more likely to be poor, given that women still make less money than men and are more often required to be the caretakers of children.

Feminist criminologists also argue that traditional modalities of representing crime such as biological theories of innate aggression, desire for power and status, and frustration do not apply to women who are often more relationship-driven in their orientation (Chapter 6: Critical theories: Marxist, critical, and feminist, n.d., Sage:101). Women are subjected to the same conditions as their male counterparts such as poverty and disenfranchisement but seem to react in different ways, suggesting that gender is an important lens through which to view crime.

There are also certain laws which have penalized females.