marxist perspective of the family

Question 1

what is unit of consumption?

Answer 1

ZARETSKY:
where families (as consumers) uphold the capitalist superstructure
- families are encouraged to constantly purchase the latest products and services to appear ‘fashionable’ and show off their ‘high’ status to others.
– advertisement and pester power of children is utilized to get families to spend mire money

Question 2

what are idealogical functions?

Answer 2

ZARETSK:
- where working class children aresocialisedto accept and embody norms and values that uphold capitalism

Question 3

what are children taught in terms of idealogical functions?

Answer 3

• how to respect and conform toauthority; thorugh norms and values herarchy is inevitable and there will always be someone ‘in charge’.
• that inequality between social classes is normal

Question 4

what is emotional labour?

Answer 4

where women are expected to stabilise the emotions of the rest of the family through support and comfort, while being unnrecognised for it

Question 5

what is inheritance of property?

Answer 5

ENGELS:
- where the emergence and rise of capitalism has led to men using marriage to pass down their property and assets to the next generation (children)

Question 7

what are criticisms of marxist perspectives on the family?

Answer 7

• It’s too deterministic– it assumes people passively accept socialisation and family life, and that the future is pre-determined. There are plenty of families who reject the consumerist lifestyle and many families bring their children up to be independent thinkers.
• the Marxist perspectiveignores family diversityin capitalist society, the nuclear family is no longer the main type of family. In fact, family breakdown may be better for Capitalism – as divorce is expensive and more money has to be spent on maintaining family relationships and later on forming new families.
• feminists argue that the Marxist focus on social class inequalitiesdownplays the role of patriarchy, which is the real source of female oppression. Feminists would point out that sex inequalities exist within all families, irrespective of social class background.
• marxismignores the benefits of nuclear familye.g. both parents support the children. The New Right point out that this is the most functional type of environment in which to raise children, and the nuclear family is found in most societies around the world, suggesting it is something people choose.