Family Flashcards
Marxists view of family
Children are taught to submit
Opposed to capitalism which is driven by profit and based on the ownership of private property
Harder to go on strike because you have to provide for family
Althusser
Family unit establishes a hierarchy of the norm ‘dad is the boss’ meaning that later on in life the children will take orders from their employers Family passes on the ideas and beliefs of the ruling class maintaining a false class consciousness
Zaretsky
Family is an escape from feelings of oppression and exploitation at work meaning they are less likely to challenge their poor treatment at the hands of the ruling class
Engels
Monogamous nuclear family
Criticism of family life is that ‘women are essentially prostitutes offering sex and offspring in return for economic security’
Passing on property to his offspring
Other Marxists
Family as a unit of consumption - workers produce goods, but also buy them
Pester power - more profits for the owners and shareholders of the companies producing the goods
Marxist Feminists
Women are doubly exploited
Contribute to the system without getting paid
Provide a ‘sanctuary’ for men - so that they do not challenge the system
Teach the children capitalist ideals
Ruling class benefit from women’s participation
Evaluating the Marxist view
Out of date - women work and do not rely on their partners
Increasingly couples choose to remain childless send money on travel or cars - contradicting Engels view
Children are exposed to a much wider range of socialising experiences therefore are more likely to challenge authority
Rising divorce rates - that there is more shoring up the capitalist system than family life
High unemployment means that they won’t challenge their job in the fear of losing it therefore family is still a useful unit of consumption
Feminists
Argue that housework is just as tedious as work outside the home
In effect women do two jobs because they are expected to run the home and care for the children
Liberal Feminists
Against sex stereotyping
Paternity and maternity leave - women will suffer less discrimination at work because the employers will not fear them leaving cause of being pregnant
Argue for better and cheaper childcare so that women can continue their careers
Want to see stronger action against domestic violence
Radical Feminists
Argue that liberal feminists are not addressing why inequality is happening in the first place
Family is a patriarchal institution - women steer clear of men altogether and reject family life
Separatism
Radical feminists organise themselves to live separately to men
Some argue for political lesbianism
Criticism of the Feminist view
Women’s roles are not the same in all families
Hakim - women enjoy being wives and mothers because they find it rewarding and fulfilling
2/3 of divorces are initiated by women therefore women do not feel trapped or powerless in a relationship
Functionalists
See family as an institution that contributes to the smooth running of society
Beneficial institution contributing to social stability
Murdock
4 main functions of family life: Sexual Reproduction Socialisation Economic
Criticise of Murdock
Argue that other institutions could perform the functions of the family
Eduction helps to socialise children, the economy helps provide basic needs like money for food and shelter
However Murdock says that family is the most practical way which is why it it universal
Functional fit theory
Parsons
Function of the family depends on the society in which it is found and this will affect its shape or structure
Multi functional unit
Parsons
Pre industrial society people tended to live in extended families
Family farms would provide jobs
Geographical mobility
Parsons
When the country became industrialised this gave way to the modern nuclear family meaning that people needed to move away for work
Now more socially mobile in an industrialised society
Mobile nuclear family
Parsons
Structurally isolated
No obligation to help the wider extended family
Structural differentiation
Parsons
Family has lost some of its functions - no longer units of production but instead units of consumption
However parsons argues that
Modern nuclear family still specialises in performing two essential functions:
Primary socialisation of children
Stabilisation of human personalities
Sexual division of labour
Parsons
Women have an expressive role - relieves tension
Men have an instrumental role as breadwinners
Supporters of the new right
Traditional heterosexual family is essential for social stability
Men are authority figures and women play nurturing roles
This is the best way to bring up children to become conformist, responsible adults
The new right - what encourages families to be non traditional (4)
Rising divorce rate
Lone parents
Cohabitation
Homosexual couples
