2. Marxist Perspective

Question 1

1. Inheritance of Property

Answer 1

• Marxists argue that key factor determining social institutions is the mode of production (who owns and controls society’s productive forces)

• As the mode of production evolves, so does the family
• Marx calls the earliest, classless society: ‘primitive communism’
• Primitive communism: all members owned means of production communally (no private property)

• Engels: no family, just the ‘promiscuous horde’

Private Property:

• Along with the development of private property, came a class of men who secured control of means of production.
• This eventually brought about the patriarchal monogamous nuclear family
• Engels: this represented a “world historical defeat of the female sex’
• This is because it brought female sexuality under male control and turned her into “a mere instrument for the production of children”

Question 2

2. Ideological Functions

Answer 2

• Marxists argue that the family performs ideological functions for capitalism
• Justifies inequality / maintains capitalism by persuading people to accept it

1. Socialises children into idea that inequality is inevitable.
   - Parental power over children accustoms them to the idea of obedience and this prepared them for a working life working under capitalist employers
2. Zaretsky: family offers an apparent ‘haven’ from harsh world of capitalism
   - This is an illusion: family cannot meet its members needs

Question 3

3. Unit of Consumption

Answer 3

• Capitalism exploits labour of the workers and make a profit as a result.
• Family therefore plays a major role in generating profits for capitalists
• This is because it is an important market for the sale of consumer goods
• Advertisers urge families to ‘keep up with the Joneses’
• Media targets children (pester power)
• Children who lack latest clothes are stigmatised.

Question 4

4. Criticisms of Marxism

Answer 4

• Marxists tend to assume nuclear family is dominant (ignores diversity)
• Feminists argue that Marxist emphasis on class underestimates importance of gender inequalities.
• Functionalists argue Marxists ignore real benefits of the family

Question 5

Summary

Answer 5

1. Inheritance of Property
2. Ideological Function
3. Unit of Consumption
4. Criticisms of Marxism