Compare and contrast how Marxist and foucauldian criminologist Essay

Compare and contrast how Marxist and foucauldian criminologist conceptualize power and their exercise of power in their analysis - Essay Example The modes of production in society consist of two elements: the means of production, which is constituted of technological, process and the relationship of various classes to the means of production whether they either own the means of production or work for those, who posses them. Since the ultimate economic source of surplus in society involves the amount of goods which is produced in excess of what the workers consume, there is a need to understand the difference between those who hold the means of production and those who work for them so as to be able to comprehensively understand who owns the surpluses in society. McLaughlin states that means of production in society can either be privately owned or not. In some societies, means of production are owned by state, for example in former soviet Union, in others they are controlled by small groups of workers for instance in Yugoslavia or collectively owned by units of workers, farmers, peasants and other classes in society for examp le in china This forms of production definitely produces different types of social relations and also lead to various forms of crimes an criminal law. McLaughlin et al notes that in capitalistic societies particularly where means of production concentrates on private individuals and there has been a development of divisions between the class that dominates, the owners of means of production and the class that is dominated, those working for the ruling class, the level of crime is very substantial and of high degree. This is because of the contradiction that is created by the capitalist system. (McLaughlin, 2003, p 250) To begin with, the first contradiction is that the capitalist enterprise tries to crate a desire among the class of workers to consume the products generated by their system. Many of this products don’t do not necessarily contribute to the improvement of peoples wellbeing and also have no value. For their system to be viable, they develop mechanisms to make the people utilise what they produce. In order for the capitalist to produce their goods, they make labour force to work diligently and over time. This helps the ruling class to accumulate more and more capital and maintain their position in society. Also to keep the workers at bay, the capitalist specialise in keeping a considerable proportion in society poor and miserable. This means that if the currently employed group of workers down their tools, and refuse to carry their duties as required by management, they are dismissed and the reserve work force waiting for the job takes over immediately. In the long run, the capitalist structures end up creating both a desire to consume and the inability for the large population of the people to earn the money required for buying necessaries need for life. The second contradiction about capitalism is that the categorization of society in two classes: one that owns means of production and a deprived group that inevitably works for wage so as t o survive leads to conflict between the two classes. These conflicts can be seen from rebellion and riots emanating from the proletariat. Also the state passes law to protect the interest of the ruling class, applies sanction to regulate the actions of proletarian which threatens the egoistic interests of the bourgeoisie .The proletarians who are caught jeopardising the interest of the ruling class are labelled to as criminal and their actions branded as crime. As capitalism