Family + Social Policy

Question 1

define social policy

Answer 1

• social policy = the plans + actions of the state agencies such as heath and social services, the welfare benefits system, schools to change society

Question 2

outline an example of social policy in China

Answer 2

• China’s one child policy: China’s population control policy aimed to discourage couples from having more than 1 child
• couples who comply get rewards such as free child healthcare, higher tax allowances, priority in education + housing
• those who break it have to pay a fine

Question 3

what are democratic societies’ stance on family policies

Answer 3

• democratic societies, such as Britain, understand that the family is a private sphere in which the Gov does not intervene in
• except when things ‘go wrong’, e.g. child abuse
• however, some say Gov policies still have a huge impact on families

Question 4

outline the Functionalist view on policies

Answer 4

• society is built on harmony + a consensus (shared values) + is free from major conflict
• the state acts with the interests of society and their social policies are beneficial to all
• Fletcher: the introduction f housing, health and education polices has led to the welfare state that supports the family in performing its functions
• e.g. the establishment of the NHS helps the family to care better for its members when they are sick

Question 5

outline 2 AO3 evaluations of the Functionalist view on policies

Answer 5

• it assumes all family members benefit equally from these policies: feminists argue policies often benefit men at women’s expense
• it assumes there is a ‘march of progress’: in which policies are steadily making family life better. Marxists say that policies can reverse progress - e.g. cutting benefits for poor families

Question 6

outline the view of Donzelot on policies (‘policing the family’)

Answer 6

• Donzelot: views policies as a form of state power + control over families
• D uses Foucault’s concept of surveillance in which power isn’t just something held by the state but as diffused throughout society
• Donzelot outlines the ‘policing of families’ in which professionals use their knowledge to control + change families
• poor families are more likely to be seen as problems in which professionals target for ‘improvement’

Question 7

outline AO3 evaluations of Donzelot’s view on policies

Answer 7

• Marxists + Feminists: Donzelot fails to identify clearly who benefits from such policies of surveillance
• Marxists: social policies operate within the interests of the ruling class
• Feminists: men are the beneficiaries

Question 8

outline the New Rights view on policies

Answer 8

• state policies have encouraged the changes leading to greater family diversity (divorce, gay marriage, etc) + have helped to undermine the nuclear family
• Almond: laws making divorce easier undermines the lifelong commitment of a marriage
• civil partnerships for LGBT couples emits the message that the state no longer views the heterosexual relationship as superior
• tax laws discriminate against conventional families with male breadwinners
• increased rights for cohabitants (e.g. adoption rights) makes cohabitation + marriage more similar

Question 9

outline the New Right’s view on lone parents, welfare policy and the dependency culture in relation to policies

Answer 9

• New Right Murray: critical of social polices as they provide too generous welfare benefits (e.g. cash payments to lone parent fams) which undermines the nuclear family + encourages dysfunctional family types
• these social polices reward irresponsible behaviour; #
  e.g. if a father sees that the state will maintain their children, some will abandon their paternal responsibilities
  e.g. providing council housing for lone, teen mothers encourages young girls to get pregnant
• policies encourage a dependency culture which threatens 2 functions of the fam; the successful socialisation of the young, maintenance of the work ethic among men

Question 10

outline the New Right’s solution

Answer 10

• policy must be changed; cuts in welfare spending + tighter restrictions on who is available for benefits
• this would have several advantages; e.g. reduced taxes; these changes would also give men more incentive to work + provide for their families
• policies should support the nuclear family; e.g. taxes that favour married couples rather than cohabiting
• the less the state interferes with families, the better family life will be

Question 11

outline AO3 evaluations of the New Right

Answer 11

• feminists: its an attempt to justify a return to the patriarchal NF in which women are exploited
• Abbott + Wallace: cutting benefits would only further drive poor families into greater poverty
• the NR ignores several policies that maintain the conventional NF

Question 12

outline the New Right’s influence on policies

Answer 12

• NR is a a conservative view first developed in the 1970s
• however, it doesn’t greatly influence Conservative policies
• there is more similarity between NR + New Labour

Question 13

outline the Conservative Gov (1979-97) in relation to polices

Answer 13

• banned the promotion of homosexuality by local authorities; e.g. ban on teaching that homosexuality was an acceptable relationship
• defined divorce as a social issue; emphasised continued responsibility of children after divorce - Child Support Agency
• made divorce easier + gave same rights to children born to unmarried parents as those born by married parents

Question 14

outline the New Labour Gov (1997-2010) in relation to polices

Answer 14

• took the view that family is the bedrock of society
• emphasised the need for parents to take responsibility for their children - Parenting Orders for parents of young offenders
• NL policies favoured dual-earner families; longer maternity leave, Working Families Tax Credit, New Deal (helped lone parents return to work)
• NL showed support for non- NFs through: civil partnerships for SS couples, giving unmarried couples the same rights to adopt, outlawing sexuality based discrimination

Question 15

outline the Conservative Gov (2010+) in relation to polices

Answer 15

• Hayton classes the conservatives into 2 divisions; modernisers + traditionalists
• modernisers = those who recognise that families are now more diverse + are willing to reflect this in their policies
• traditionalists = those who favour the NR view + reject diversity
• this division means that the Conservative Party has found it difficult to maintain a consistent policy motive
• e.g. the Conservative-led Coalition Gov introduced gay marriage, but also their reductions in welfare spending reflects this division

Question 16

outline feminists view on policies

Answer 16

• take a conflict view on policies
• polices, like other state institutions, help to maintain women’s subordinate position + the inequal DoL

Question 17

outline policies as self-fulfilling prophecy

Answer 17

• policies are often based on the assumption of what the ‘normal’ family type is
• Land: many social policies assume that the ideal family is the male-dominated nuclear family with a male breadwinner + female homemaker + their dependent children
• this assumption affects the types of policies made - and in turn, reinforces that family type
• e.g. with the assumption that ‘normal’ families are based on marriage; the Gov offers tax incentives to married couples, which may encourage cohabiting couples to marry
• policies make it more difficult for people to live in other family types than the one policymakers assume they live in

Question 18

outline policies supporting the patriarchal family

Answer 18

• feminists identify several polices that help to maintain the patriarchal family
• e.g. tax and benefit policies: child benefits are usually paid to the mother; assuming that the child’s welfare is her primary responsibility
• e.g. childcare: policies governing school timetables/ holidays makes it harder for parents (usually mothers) to work full time unless they can afford extra childcare
• e.g. care for sick/ elderly: policies often assume the family will provide this - usually expected for the women to do the care. this prevents them working full-time/ being economic dependent

Question 19

outline an AO3 evaluation of the feminist view on policies

Answer 19

• not all policies are aimed at maintaining a patriarchal family
• e.g. Equal Pay Act 1970, Equality Act 2010, benefits for lone parents, equal divorce rights; all challenge the patriarchal family and improve women’s positions in society

Question 20

outline gender regimes

Answer 20

• Drew: uses the term ‘gender regimes’ to describe if different countries’ social policies encourage or discourage gender equality in the family + at work
• familistic gender regimes = policies are based on a traditional gender division between male breadwinner + female carer
• e.g. Greece: there is little state welfare or free childcare; thus women have to rely on support from their extended kin + there is a traditional DoL
• individualistic gender regimes = policies are based on gender equality, wives aren’t assumed to be financially dependent on husbands; husbands aren’t assumed to be the sole breadwinner; so each partner has separate entitlement to state benefits
• e.g. Sweden: policies treat husbands + wives as equally responsible for both breadwinning + domestic tasks

Question 21

outline state vs market

Answer 21

• Drew: most EU countries are moving toward an individualistic regime
• this is likely to make a move toward gender equality in family roles + relationships
• however, equality policies such as state funded childcare isnt cheap, and can involve conflicts about who should be eligible for certain benefits