Title: A Marxist analysis of American gun culture

Authors: Kieran James; Jodi McKenzie

Addresses: School of Business and Enterprise, University of the West of Scotland, Paisley Campus, High Street Paisley PA1 2BE, Renfrewshire, Scotland; University of Fiji, Saweni, Queens Rd, Lautoka, Fiji ' University of the West of Scotland, Paisley Campus, High Street Paisley PA1 2BE, Renfrewshire, Scotland

Abstract: This study was carried out in order to gain insights into the attitudes and opinions of American citizens regarding gun culture in their country. In particular, the research aimed to identify what they perceived to be the main causes and influences upon gun culture; and what they believed were possible solutions to the gun culture. A survey was distributed to American citizens on the gun culture topic and it was completed by 57 respondents. The survey results show a variety of opinions with those of gun owners and non-gun owners contrasting. The gun owners' attitudes were in line with the beliefs and political views of the National Rifle Association; whereas the non-gun owners favoured more gun control laws to be passed in the future. The Marxist perspectives of Alienation Theory and Conflict Theory help us to understand better the American gun culture within the context of American capitalist society.

Keywords: alienation; capitalism; conflict theory; gun culture; Marxism; strain theory.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCA.2018.098269

International Journal of Critical Accounting, 2018 Vol.10 No.6, pp.491 - 518

Received: 18 Oct 2018
Accepted: 05 Nov 2018
Published online: 07 Mar 2019 *

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