Demography (Effects of changes in fertility)

Question 1

Functionalists

Answer 1

• Murdock

- Parsons

Question 2

Marxists

Answer 2

• Marx
• Engels
• Zaretsky

Question 3

Feminist

Answer 3

• Liberal (Somerville)
• Marxist (Ansley)
• Radical
• Difference

Question 4

Murdock (Four Functions)

Answer 4

• Primary Socialisation
• Reproduction
• Stabilisation of the sex drive
• Economic needs

Question 5

Parsons

Answer 5

• The family structure will ‘fit’ into the society it is in.
• Extended = traditional pre-industrial society
• Nuclear = modern industrial society
• During industrialisation, a geographically and socially mobile workforce was needed: nuclear
• When society industrialises, functions are lost.
• 2 Irreducible Functions: Primary Socialisation / Stabilisation of adult personalities

Question 6

Marxist (Inheritance of Property)

Answer 6

• Before the mode of production developed, there was no family. (Engels: Promiscuous Horde)
• Marx identifies ‘Primitive Communism’: communal ownership of means of production, classless and no private property.
• As private property was established, monogamous nuclear family began.
• Engels: this became essential to make sure bourgeoisie’s legitimate heir inherited property.
• Women’s sexuality is property of bourgeoisie and is now a ‘mere instrument for the product of children.’

Question 7

Marxist (Ideological)

Answer 7

• Family maintains capitalism by persuading people to accept it.
• One way is through socialisation of children to accept hierarchy (preparation for obedience)
• Zaretsky: Family offers ‘haven’ from the pressures of capitalism theoretically. This is not the case because often their are not enough resources to supply needs.

Question 8

Marxist (Unit of consumption)

Answer 8

• Family generates profit for capitalists.
• Advertisers aim highly at families to ‘keep up with the Joneses’
• Marketing targets children who use ‘pester power’ to get parents to consume more.
• Children who lack certain goods are stigmatised.

Question 9

Liberal Feminist

Answer 9

• Family is changing through changing attitudes and changes in the law.
• Full equality will be achieved through further changes
• Change is evident (Kan, Young and Willmott, Sullivan, Future Foundation)

Question 10

Marxist Feminist

Answer 10

• Main cause of women’s oppression is capitalism.
• Patriarchy benefits capitalism in many ways.
  1. Women reproduce and socialise labour force
  2. Women absorb anger: Ansley
  3. Women are a reserve army of cheap labour

Question 11

Radical Feminist

Answer 11

• All societies founded on patriarchy, main division is between men and women.
• Men are the enemy: source of women’s oppression
• Family and marriage are key institutions in patriarchal society: men benefit from domestic labour and sexual services and maintain power through violence.
• Patriarchal system must end through abolishment of heterosexual nuclear family: political lesbianism
• Greer: argues for all female households as an alternative

Question 12

Difference Feminist

Answer 12

• We cannot generalise about women’s experience of the household.
• By viewing the family as negative white feminists dismiss black feminists positive experience.
• However, many experience the same things: violence, low pay.

Question 13

Personal Life Perspective

Answer 13

• Influenced by interactionist ideas, to understand families we must look at individuals involved and their meanings attached.
• Take a ‘bottom-up’ approach.
• Family doesn’t have to be blood and marriage
• e.g. friends, LGBT chosen families, relationships with dead relatives and even relationships with pets.
• Nordqvist and Smart found that issue of blood and genes had a range of feeling.
• The mother of an egg donor-conceived child defined being a mother in terms of time and effort.
• However, issues of whether genetic family counted as family arouse in some situations.