The social-conflict approach to deviant behavior is based on the idea that what a society labels as deviant is determined primarily by the conflict between those who have wealth and power in society and those who do not. The people with wealth and power will determine what they believe should be labeled as “deviant,” while the poorer, less powerful members of society will often see themselves or their peers labeled as such. . The conflict between these two groups is the basis for labeling a behavior as deviant, and this approach to social interaction can be seen in many aspects of society: laws are made by those with more power;
members of higher-status groups define what behaviors are appropriate or inappropriate within their group; some people use rejection from mainstream society as an opportunity to join alternative cultures that share similar values and goals. The rich label some actions as criminal while others will only see things like drug use, prostitution, theft, fraud etc., as “criminal” if they themselves were not able to afford it. In contrast, poorer individuals who participate in such activities would likely be viewed very differently – often times being labeled criminals whereas wealthier participants might only
