NCJ Number
57035
Journal
Crime and Social Justice Volume: 5 Dated: (SPRING-SUMMER 1976) Pages: 26-33
Date Published
1976
Length
8 pages
Annotation
CAPITALISM IS ANALYZED IN RELATION TO SOCIAL ASPECTS OF CRIMINALITY WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF MARXIST SCIENTIFIC THEORY, AND THE CONCERN OF MARX WITH PENAL ISSUES IS CONSIDERED.
Abstract
MARX VIEWS CRIME AND PUNISHMENT AS EXPRESSIONS OF MAN'S CONDITION UNDER CAPITALIST DOMINATION. IT IS IN CAPITALISM ONLY WHERE MARX INVESTIGATES THE ORIGIN OF 'PRIMITIVE ACCUMULATION' THAT IS SHOWN TO BE THE SPECIFIC CAPITALISTIC MATRIX OF PENOLOGY. FURTHERMORE IT IS IN THE MAKING OF THE PROLETARIAT THAT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PERSON AS A CRIMINAL AND THE PERSON AS A WORKER IS MADE CLEAR. THE CONCEPT HELD BY MARX OF A PUNISHMENT-FREE SOCIETY IS TIED TO THE SCIENTIFIC ANALYSIS OF REPRESSIVE AND TRAINING FUNCTIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT'S PENAL SYSTEM. ACCORDING TO MARX, FUNCTIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT ARE INEXTRICABLY RELATED TO ECONOMIC SPONTANEITY, I.E., PRIORITIES OF THE GOVERNMENT ARE DICTATED BY PRIORITIES OR PRIMITIVE ACCUMULATION. THE BASIS OF REBELLION IS THE REDUCTION OF THE PERSON TO SOMETHING OTHER THAN HIMSELF AND THIS HAS ITS CLEAREST EXPRESSION IN THE INTRODUCTION OF A LIFE SYSTEM BASED ON CAPITALIST AND SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS, PARTICULARLY WITH REGARD TO CONDITIONS OF WORKERS. PRODUCTIVE WORK CAN BE A WAY OF CORRECTING CRIMINALS IN THE SAME DIALECTICAL WAY IT IS FOR WORKERS IN GENERAL. HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN THE MARXIST PHILOSOPHY ARE DETAILED AS THEY PERTAIN TO DIRECTIONS SOCIETY TAKES TOWARD SOCIALISM AND COMMUNISM. NOTES AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)