DOLE BLUDGERS OR TAX DODGERS - WHO IS THE DEVIANT? (FROM TWO FACES OF DEVIANCE - CRIMES OF THE POWERLESS AND POWERFUL, 1978, BY PAUL R WILSON AND JOHN BRAITHWAITE SEE NCJ-62117)

• NCJ Number: 62122
• Author(s): R A BRIGHT
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 16 pages
• Corporate Author: University of Queensland Press
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: Australia

Annotation

THIS ANALYSIS OF ATTITUDES TOWARD THE UNEMPLOYED IN AUSTRALIA CONCLUDES THAT THE UNEMPLOYED ARE VICTIMS OF A SYSTEM IN WHICH POWERFUL GROUPS HAVE PERPETRATED UNJUSTIFIED IMAGES OF THE UNEMPLOYED AS DEVIANTS.

Abstract

DESPITE A SURVEY SHOWING MOST AUSTRALIAN UNEMPLOYMENT TO BE STRUCTURAL RATHER THAN VOLUNTARY, THE AUSTRALIAN PUBLIC HAS STRONGLY NEGATIVE ATTITUDES TOWARD THE UNEMPLOYED. THE PUBLIC BELIEVES THAT THE UNEMPLOYED ENJOY THEIR IDLENESS WHILE RECEIVING GOVERNMENT MONEY FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND THAT THEY ARE SOCIAL DEVIANTS AND THEREFORE RESPONSIBLE. ACCEPTANCE OF THESE BELIEFS HAS BEEN PROMOTED BY GOVERNMENTS AND INDUSTRY IN ORDER TO LEGITIMATE THE CURRENTLY HIGHLY-STRATIFIED SOCIETY. BY FOCUSING PUBLIC ATTENTION ON THE UNEMPLOYED, THOSE IN POWER HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONCEAL BASIC WEAKNESSES IN THE CAPITALISTIC SYSTEM. IN CONTRAST, TAX DODGING BY THE MIDDLE AND UPPER CLASSES, THROUGH ILLEGAL TAX EVASION OR LEGAL TAX AVOIDANCE ATTRACTS LITTLE ATTENTION. YET IT IS MORE WIDESPREAD PROBLEM. TAX DODGERS SHOULD BE, BUT ARE NOT, REGARDED BY THE PUBLIC AS THE TRUE DEVIANTS. THE PUBLIC HAS, THEREFORE, ACCEPTED THE IDEOLOGY PROMOTED BY THE RULING CLASS AND APPLIED IT ONLY TO THE WEAKEST MEMBERS OF SOCIETY, THE UNEMPLOYED. ONE TABLE AND FOOTNOTES WHICH INCLUDE REFERENCES, ARE INCLUDED. FOR RELATED ARTICLES ON CRIMES COMMITTED BY THE POWERFUL AND PROTECTED BY THEIR LAWS, SEE NCJ 62118-62121 AND 62123-62126. (CFW)