- THE WHITE-COLLAR CRIME AS RELECTED IN HENRIK JOHAN IBSEN’S THE PILLARS OF THE COMMUNITY: A SOCIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

THE WHITE-COLLAR CRIME AS RELECTED IN HENRIK JOHAN IBSEN’S THE PILLARS OF THE COMMUNITY: A SOCIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

By

Laela Soraya
03026022

ABSTRACT

The choice of the play The Pillars of the Community as the topic of the analysis is based on the following reasons: First, the play is interesting to read in every event that happen in it. Second, the story is about the social condition of Norway’s society, so the reader will know the way of people’s thinking at the time. Third, Ibsen is brave to give the description of social problem in his country and show degenerated society. The aims of this research are (1) to describe the types of white-collar crime found in Ibsen’s The Pillars of the Community (2) to describe the motivations of white-collar crime as reflected in Ibsen’s The Pillars of the Community (3) to analyze the factors causing white-collar crime as reflected in this play.

The research applies library research method in which the play The Pillars of the Community as the main data and other materials such as books, journals, essays, articles and information from the internet as the supporting data. The research applies qualitative method to analyze data where it is based on more information to express descriptions, opinions, or feelings. The research also applies sociological approach as the theory to analyze the type of white-collar crime, motivations of it and factors causing of it. Sociological approach is needed to know deeper about the subject of white-collar crime according to social condition of the play and factors causing of it, because human is tool of the community and white-collar crime is the social problem in society.

It can be concluded that The Pillars of the Community describes white-collar crime. The type in this play is occupational crime. It is the crime that committed to promote personal interests. Crime that falls into this category includes cheating, defaming, sabotage, bribery, kickback. In the play occupational crime is committed by some characters through breaking the rules, like Mr Bernick who cheats people in the community, three local capitalists who help and support Bernick’s crime and the last is Aune, the head of workers who sabotages the ship named Indian Girl. The motivations why they commit the crime are sense of superiority and power, desire of money, threat of loss, and to save family. The factors causing of white-collar crime are to hide lie, pressured, and abuse of power.

Keyword: White-collar crime, The Pillars of the Community.