A moral entrepreneur is the process of constructing and applying definitions of deviance. The way people make deviance is the same as the way they manufacture. There are two kinds; rule creating and rule enforcing. Rule creating can be done by individuals acting either alone or in groups. Without them there would be no deviant behavior. These people are politicians, public figures, teachers, parents, school administrators, and CEO’s of business organizations. For example, John Walsh founded the Missing and Exploited Children’s Network, when his son was kidnapped and murdered. Also, there are general groups such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Rule enforcers are the police, courts, judges, and also members of neighborhood associations. These people apply rules to groups of people.
Moral entrepreneurs make their morality known through a process. Their first goal is to generate awareness of a problem. They do this by claims making; draws our attention to given issues. Using this allows certain problems to have a concern now or the future. Messages such as second hand smoke, relate smokers to understand how their smoking hurts not only them but others around them. It’s okay to smoke but just kill you and not others in the process seem to be the message. They intend to disseminate to society through the media how certain problems can have a solution. Convincing others that it’s a threat by using celebrities or a moral panic can make the public aware, which is their aim.
Social construction is a theory that in addition to emphasizes the socially created nature of social life. The social construction of deviance is controlled by those who have resources in society; mainly the rule creators and enforcers. Society generates what is set to be deviant by what is said by the creators and enforcers. Since they each named what was said to be deviant because they have social status, wealth, etc, then society also has to view it that way because they have the power to create and enforce anything they want. They are connected to society’s power base, therefore they use their strength and positions to label “deviant”. This in turns is created by social power. These individuals in that group are labeled deviant than this can create a group’s greater power. So, the individuals with the power can name people in society deviant, but they can also turn the finger and label people in power deviant as well; it just wouldn’t go as far as to being labeled “deviant” because deviant behavior and power is not a good mix, generally.
