Family + State Policy

Question 1

Views of the Family: Left-wing (Labour)

Answer 1

• Nuclear family is the ideal family
• Accept alternative family structures, believe they can effectively socialise and raise children
• Believe the state should play a role in the family e.g. support mothers to return to work after giving birth and help with childcare costs
• Support all families with children, not just married couples

Question 2

Views of the Family: Right-wing (Conservative/New Right)

Answer 2

• Nuclear family is the ideal family - aim to introduce social policies that encourage people to live in nuclear family structures
• Alternative family structures are seen as less desirable and effective when socialising children adequately
• Decline in nuclear families is responsible for social problems -> drug misuse, educational underachievement etc.
• Believe the state should play a limited role in family life and should not interfere, people should take responsibility for their own families (get a job and earn money)

Question 3

What does it mean if state policies have direct effects on the family?

Answer 3

• They have a visible, intended effect on the family.
• Married person’s tax benefits led to a rise in marriages of couples who were cohabiting.

Question 4

What does it mean if state policies have indirect effects on the family?

Answer 4

• They have effects that were not expected to happen.
• Privatising health care for the elderly (pay to care for them) meant the burden of care was placed upon the female members of the family as well as caused financial strain

Question 5

State Policies with Direct Effects (6)

Answer 5

• Divorce Reform Act (1969)
  • Led to a significant increase in the number of divorces
  • Able to end a marriage if it had irretrievably broken down and the couple were no longer happy
  • Able to divorce after 2 years of separation or 5 years if only one person wanted a divorce
• Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill (2020)
  • Removed the ‘blame game’ (no longer have to blame each other for the breakdown of their marriage to get a divorce
  • Decision cannot be contested, 6 month period between petioning for divorce and the divorce being finalised (have time to reflect upon their decision, make practical arrangements etc.) - promote the well-being of children of divorced parents
• Marriage Tax Credit (2015)
  • Introduced by the Conservative government to encourage couples to marry instead of cohabiting
  • Acts as an incentive, couples who are married or in a civil partnership pay less less tax
• Same Sex Marriage Act (2014) - equal marriage in law for all couples no matter their sexual orientation and they have the same legal rights as heterosexual couples
• Adoption and Children Act (2002) - allows same sex couples to adopt
• Child Tax Credit (2003) - in support of working families where families in paid employment are given tax relief (pay less tax) which saves them money so it can be spent on things for the children

Question 6

State Policies with Indirect Effects (2)

Answer 6

• Pension age for women increased to 66 (2018)
  • Increased from 60 to 66
  • Less support with childcare as they will be working so cannot help out with grandchildren, financial strain on younger family members who will have to pay for childcare
• Legal Aid budget cut substantially (2013)
  • Legal Aid enables people on low incomes to access free legal advice
  • Cuts by the Conservative government affected vulnerable groups e.g. women with no personal income will not be able to access legal advice when they need it (victim of domestic violence) and may be forced to stay with their abusive partner as they feel they have no choice

Question 7

Functionalist Views of State Policies

Answer 7

• Support policies that encourage people to live in traditional nuclear families (man = instrumental role, women = expressive role)
• Support Child Tax Credit as the money is paid to the primary carer (usually the mother) which encourages them to perform the expressive
• Believe state policies should help families to perform their functions e.g. primary socialisation
• Child Tax Credit - help families perform the economic function (able to provide their child with what they need) as well as primary socialisation (can teach their children the norms and values of society with no financial concerns)

Question 8

New Right Views of State Policies

Answer 8

• Do not support government intervention in the family
• Murray argues that overgenerous welfare benefits have led to a culture of dependency
• Has led to a growing underclass - people believe it is acceptable to live off benefits and not go out to work to earn money
• Murray argues the state should abolish benefit payments to single mums to discourage young women from getting pregnant, is critical of single parent families as boys lack a male role model, leading to educational underachievement and anti-social behaviour
• Oppose acts that break up the traditional nuclear family (Divorce Reform Act etc.) or support family structures they believe cannot successfully socialise children (Same Sex Marriage Act, The Adoption and Children Act)

Question 9

Feminist Views of State Policies

Question 10

Marxist Views of State Policies