Marxism

Question 1

main themes

Answer 1

the family serves the interests of capitalism - in early communal society, the family was
not needed
 the family provides a steady, free supply of new workers for the economy
 children socialised by the family into obedience and acceptance of hierarchy
 the family makes oppression more bearable (Zaretsky)
 by giving workers’ family responsibilities, it encourages them to work
 = unit of consumption e.g. media adverts target children.

Question 2

Engels

Answer 2

According to Engels, the monogamous nuclear family only emerged with Capitalism. Before
Capitalism, traditional, tribal societies were classless and they practised a form of ‘primitive
communism’ in which there was no private property
However, with the emergence of Capitalism in the 18th Century, society and the family changed.
Capitalism is based on a system of private ownership
Eventually the Bourgeois started to look for ways to pass on their wealth to the next generation,
rather than having it shared out amongst the masses, and this is where the monogamous nuclear
family comes from. It is the best way of guaranteeing that you are passing on your property to your
son, because in a monogamous relationship you have a clear idea of who your own children are.

Question 3

criticisms of Engels

Answer 3

Gender inequality clearly preceded Capitalism. The vast majority of tribes in Africa and Asia
are patriarchal, with women being barred from owning property, having no political power,
and having to do most of the child care and hard physical labour.
* Wealthy Capitalist economies such as the UK and USA have seen the fastest
improvements in gender equality over the last 100 years. Capitalism, increasing wealth and
gender equality within a nation seem to be correlated.

Question 4

family is an ideological apparatus

Answer 4

The modern nuclear family functions to promote values that ensure the reproduction and
maintenance of capitalism. The family is described as an ideological apparatus – this means it
socialises people to think in a way that justifies inequality and encourages people to accept the
capitalist system as fair, natural and unchangeable. One way in which this happens is that there is
a hierarchy in most families which teaches children to accept there will always be someone in
“authority” who they must obey, which then mirrors the hierarchy of boss-worker in paid
employment in later life.

Question 5

Zaretzky

Answer 5

There is an ideological function of the family called the ‘cult of private life’ - this is the belief that we can only gain fulfilment from family life, which distracts attention from exploitation.

Question 6

Paylantzas

Answer 6

Nuclear families are brainwashed into thinking capitalism is fair, which teaches lower generations how to conform and co-operate with the capitalist system.

Question 7

criticisms of marxism

Answer 7

• Too deterministic - it assumes people passively accept socialisation and family life, and that
  the future is pre-determined.
• Ignores family diversity in capitalist society, and that many women now work full time as
  well
• Feminists argue that the Marxist focus on class ignores the inequalities between men and
  women, which is the real source of female oppression.
• Marxism ignore the benefits of nuclear family e.g. both parents support the children