Basics of the Conflict Perspective
This perspective sees society as held together by coercion, not harmony.
What is the conflict perspective?
This scholar said law is a “weapon in social conflict.”
Who is Turk?
Conflict theorists say law protects this group’s property.
Who are those in power?
Chambliss found that early vagrancy laws were linked to this labor issue.
What is the need for cheap labor?
This criticism says not all laws only benefit the powerful.
What is that laws against murder/robbery help everyone?
Conflict theory says law is created to serve these people.
Who are the powerful/ruling groups?
These two scholars said law is “an instrument of oppression.”
Who are Chambliss and Seidman?
Law is used to repress these types of threats.
What are political threats?
Vagrancy laws forced people to accept employment at this level.
What is a low wage?
Even though powerful groups influence lawmaking, all groups still take part in this process.
What is lawmaking?
Conflict theorists believe law supports certain interests at the expense of these.
What are the interests of the majority?
He argued law is made by men who represent special interests.
Who is Richard Quinney?
Quinney argued law supports these interests even when harmful to others.
What are elite/special interests?
These laws threatened punishment for unemployed able-bodied people.
What are vagrancy statutes?
The conflict perspective sometimes exaggerates the control of these groups.
What are powerful/ruling elites?
The conflict view says society is characterized by these conditions.
What are diversity, conflict, change, and coercion?
Quinney said law is the tool of this class.
What is the ruling class?
Conflict theory says law enforces this type of order.
What is economic order?
Vagrancy laws helped ensure safe conditions for this activity.
What is commercial transportation?
Conflict theory struggles to explain why these laws protect everyone equally.
What are laws against violent crimes?
Conflict theory sees law not as neutral but as this.
What is a weapon of social control?
Chambliss studied these laws to show how economic groups shape legislation.
What are vagrancy laws?
Law does not represent a compromise; instead, it reflects what?
What are the interests of specific powerful groups?
Chambliss concluded that laws often benefit these interests.
What are economic and commercial interests?
A major critique: conflict theory is too broad because it assumes what?
That all laws serve only the powerful.