Families and Social Policy Flashcards
What is social policy?
A law/ guideline introduced by the government to address social issues e.g family life/education/healthcare
What is the functionalist view of social policy?
-Social policy is beneficial for society as it helps families better perform their functions e.g health/ education policies
How can the functionalist view of social policy be criticised?
-Overlooks negative impacts of policies e.g cutting welfare benefits to poor families
-Not all policies benefit all family members equally
What is Donzelots view of family policy?
Argues that social policies allow social agents e.g doctors, social workers, health visitors to excercise control and surveillance the family, mostly w/c
According to Donzelot, why are w/c families more likely to be policed?
-Seen as the cause of crime and antisocial behaviour so professionals target them for ‘improvement’
How can Donzelots view be criticised?
Marxists and feminists argue he doesnt clealy identify who benefits from the surveilance policies
What is the new Right view on social policies?
Current policies are undermining the ideal nuclear family by promoting family diversity
-Social policy should support the nuclear family
Why is Murray critical of the welfare state?
-generous welfare benefits that encourages dysfunctional family types by offering perverse incentives
According to Murray, what irresponsible behaviours can generous welfare state lead to?
fathers abandoning responsibilities to children/family as state provides
-encourages teenage pregancies via council housing
-encourages LPF leading to crime in young males
Why is the dependency culture a negative thing according to New Right?
Peoplerely on state not selves, so
-Less work ethic in men
-Less adequate socialsation of young as everyone is state dependent
What is the New Rights solution?
Cutting down benefits eligibality and welfare spending
-Policies implemented that favour nuclear family
how can the new right view be criticised?
-Cutting benefits would make more poverty
-Ignores idea that many policies do already support nuclear famoly
What influence did the New right have on conservative policies (1979-97)
-Thatcher; banning promotion of homosexuality/teachings in schools
-Child Support Agency so absent fathers have to pay
However; divorce was made easier
New Labour governments policies (1997-2010)
-The New Deal; to help lone parents reenter work
-support for alternative family types;
-civil partnerships, adoption for unmarried couples
Conservative gov from 2010
-Inconsistent policies (modernisers vs traditionalists)
-Same sex marriage
-Free childcare
All undermine Nr views that conservatives are meant to support
