Marxism and the family

Question 1

Engles (1844)

Answer 1

Earliest Society: No restrictions on sexual behaviour
Complex society: More restrictions on sexuality in form of polygyny (Man with several sexual partners) Until stage of monogamy (Marriage between husband and wife)

Historically: men= property owners and passed down to male heirs
Monogamy ensured that any children born were legitimate heirs

Earliest society:
women= power
Men= controller of live stock and therefore becoming property owners
Women= possessions

Everyone should provide for each other in a communist society

Question 2

Zaretsky (1976)

Answer 2

For proletariats- Family life= “Refuge”- a way of getting away from pressure of work and therefore workers having some control over their lives.

Zaretsky: Illusion- Family is unable to overcome the alienating and bruising effects of capitalism.
Satisfying Relationships- abolishment of capitalism
Families- Oganised around the needs of their members rather than needs of the economic system

Family supports capitalism in 2 ways;

Women reproduce and bring up children at no expense of the capitalist employers

Family= Unit of consumption

Question 3

Evaluation

Answer 3

Outdated
largely focuses on the nuclear family and does not mention the diversity of family types
Ignores the idea of making choices about our lives
Focuses on family life in the western capitalist societies
Highlights extent of inequality however does not look at other social divisions such as gender, ethnicity, age and sexuality and their importance in personal relationships