Families and social policy

Question 1

How do functionalists view social policy?

Answer 1

They see the state as acting in the interests of society as a whole and social policies as being for the good of all. They see policies as helping families to perform their functions more effectively and make life better for their members.

Question 2

What does Fletcher (1996) argue about social policy?

Answer 2

Argues that the introduction of health, education and housing policies in the yers since the industrial revolution has gradually led to the development of a welfare state that supports the family in performing its functions more effectively.
- Family is more able to take care of it’s members when they are sick

Question 3

What are two criticisms of the functionalist view on social policy?

Answer 3

1. Assumes that all members of the family benefit equally from social policies.
   - Feminists argue that policies only benefit men at the expense of women.
2. Assumes that there is a ‘march of progress’. With social policies making family life better and better.
   - Marxists argue that policies can reverse progress made e.g. by cutting welfare benefits

Question 4

What type of view does Donzelot (1997) have of the family and social policy?

Answer 4

Has a conflict view of society and sees policy as a form of state power and control over families.

Question 5

What does Donzelot (1997) mean by ‘the policing of families’?

Answer 5

Argues that social workers, health visitors and doctors use their knowledge to control and change families.

Question 6

Why is surveillance not targeted equally on all social classes?

Answer 6

Poor families are more likely to be seen as ‘problem’ families and the cause of crime and antisocial behaviour.

Question 7

How does the state seek to control and regulate family life according to Condry (2007)?

Answer 7

By imposing compulsory Parenting Orders through the courts.
- Parents of badly behaved children forced to attend parenting classes.

Question 8

Why does Donzelot reject the functionalist march of progress view that social policy and professionals who carry it out have created a better/humane society?

Answer 8

Sees social policy as a form of state control of the family

Question 9

What are some criticisms of Donzelot?

Answer 9

Marxists and feminists criticise Donzelot for failing to identify who clearly benefits from social policies of surveillance. Marxists - benefit the capitalist class. Feminists - Men

Question 10

What is the New Right view?

Answer 10

In favour of nuclear family, division of labour. See this family type as self reliant, capable of caring and providing for its members and successful socialization of children.

Question 11

What do they argue is threatening the conventional nuclear family?

Answer 11

• Changes that have led to greater family diversity, increase in divorce/cohabitation/same sex partnerships. Producing welfare dependency & crime

Question 12

What are some examples of social policies that have helped undermine the nuclear family?

Answer 12

1. Divorce Reform Act (1969)
2. Civil Partnerships Act (2004)
3. Marriage (same-sex couples) Act 2014

Question 13

Why do the New Right argue that the state doesn’t see marriage as special or better anymore?

Answer 13

Increased rights for unmarried cohabitants such as adoption rights and pension rights when a partner dies.

Question 14

Who is a New Right sociologist?

Answer 14

Murray (1984;1990)

Question 15

Why is Murray critical of welfare policy?

Answer 15

Argue that providing generous welfare benefits such as council housing for unmarried teenagers and cash payments to support lone parent families, undermines the conventional nuclear family and encourages dysfunctional family types.

Question 16

What are some examples of welfare benefits that offer ‘perverse incentives’ but really reward irresponsible/antisocial behaviour according to Murray?

Answer 16

1. If fathers see that the state will help family > abandon responsibilities
2. Providing council houses for unmarried teenagers > encourages young girls to get pregnant
3. Growth of lone parent > boys grow up without a male role model > rising crime rates

Question 17

What do the new Right argue that social policies are encouraging?

Answer 17

A dependency culture where indv become self reliant on the state to support instead of being self reliant.

Question 18

What two essential functions that the family fulfills for society does dependency culture threaten?

Answer 18

1. The successful socialisation of the young
2. The maintenance of work ethic among men

Question 19

What’s the New Right solution to these problems of a dependency culture because of social policies?

Answer 19

Policy must be changed and cuts to welfare spending and tighter restrictions on who’s eligible for benefits.

Question 20

What the advantages be to changing social policies?

Answer 20

1. Cutting welfare benefits > taxes reduced > more incentive to work
2. Denying council housing to unmarried teenagers > remove incentive to become pregnant when young

Question 21

What policies do the New Right advocate for?

Answer 21

1. Taxes that favour married rather than cohabiting couples & making absent fathers financially responsible for their children

Question 22

What are some criticisms of the New Right view?

Answer 22

1. Feminists - Attempt to justify the return of the traditional patriarchal nuclear family that subordinated women to men and confined to a domestic role
2. Wrongly assumes that the patriarchal nuclear family is ‘natural’ rather than socially constructed.

Question 23

What policies did the Conservative governments 1979-97 introduce?

Answer 23

1. Banned promotion of homosexuality by local authorities. Ban on teaching that homosexuality was an acceptable family relationship
2. Set up Child Support Agency - enforce maintenance payments by absent parents (usually by fathers)
3. Also introduced measures making divorce easier.

Question 24

What do Silva and Smart (1999) argue about the New Labour?

Answer 24

New labour rejected the New righr view that family should have only one male earner and that women should go out to work aswell.
- Favoured dual-earner neo conventional family

Question 25

What policies did the New Labour introduce for the dual-earner neo conventional family?

Answer 25

1. Longer maternity leave - 3 months unpaid for both parents.
2. Working Families Tax Credit - enabling parents to claim some tax relief on childcare costs
3. The New Deal helping lone parents to return to work.

Question 26

What were the New Labour welfare, taxation and minimum wage policies aimed at doing?

Answer 26

Lifting children out of poverty by re distributing income to the poor though higher benefits.

Question 27

What are examples of New Labour support for alternatives to the conventional heterosexual nuclear family?

Answer 27

1. Civil partnerships for same sex couples
2. GIving unmarried couples the same rights to adopt as married couples
3. Outlawing discrimination on grounds of sexuality

Question 28

What does Hayton (2010) argue that the Conservatives are divided by?

Answer 28

1. Modernisers - recognise that families are now more diverse
2. Traditionalists - favour a New Right view and reject diversity as morally wrong

Question 29

What is the feminist view on social policies?

Answer 29

See policies as helping maintain wwomen’s subordinate position and the unequal gender division of labour in the family

Question 30

What is Land (1978) view on policy as a self fulfilling prophecy?

Answer 30

Argur that many social policies assume that the ideal family is the patriarchal nuclear family with a male provider and female homemaker plus their dependent children.

Question 31

Why do feminists argue that policies reinforce a certain family type?

Answer 31

If the state offers tax incentives to married couples that are not available to cohabiting couples, this may encourage marriage and discourage cohabitation

Question 32

What are some examples of policies that help maintain the conventional patriarchal nuclear family and reinforce women’s economic independence?

Answer 32

1. Tax and benefits policies - assume husbands = main wage earners , female = dependent
2. Childcare. Gov pays for some child care but not all, cant work full time. Women restricted from working and economically independent.
3. Care for sick and elderly. Prevents working full time, increase economic dependence

Question 33

What are criticisms of the feminist view of social policy supporting the nuclear family?

Answer 33

1. Not all policies directed at maintaining patriarchy
   - Equal pay and sex discrimination laws, right for lesbians to marry.

Question 34

Who came up with the concept of ‘gender regimes’?

Answer 34

Drew (1995). - social policies in diff countries can either encourage or discourage gender equality in the family and wok.

Question 35

What are the two types of gender regimes according to Drew (1995)?

Answer 35

1. Famiilistic gender regimes
   - policies based on traditional gender division between male breadwinner and female housewife and carer
2. Individualistic gender regimes
   - Policies based on belief that husbands and wives should be treated the same. Parental leave, equal opportunities policies, state provisions of childcare

Question 36

Gershuny (1994)

Answer 36

Argued that changes in social policy, alongside women’s increasing participation in the workforce, contribute to a gradual shift toward more symmetrical family roles.