marxist perspectives of the family Flashcards
what is the marxist perspective of the family
marxists believe that the family functions to support the ruling class and capitalism
Marxist’s argue that the family functions what are the 3 general roles the family carries out to support the economic capitalist society
1) Ideological control:
-> families spread ideas favourable to both capitalism and the ruling class.
Althusser (1970)-> argued that the family is an ideological state apparatus (ISA) through which children learn norms and values broadly supportive of the economic and political situation.
Zaretsky (1976) argued that socialisation involves the passing on of a ruling-class ideology. This encourages a largely unquestioning acceptance of the capitalist system and the rights of the ruling class through beliefs about competition, the importance of the work ethic and needing to obey authority.
2) Economically:
families perform a productive role beneficial to capitalism by producing ‘future workers’ (the reproduction of the labour force) , by replacing those who become too old or sick to work.
Althusser also argued that the family has a consumption role in modern societies. In the past it was a unit of production, creating the things people needed to survive; now it buys most of what it needs, from food and shelter to leisure, and this means that family members have to find paid employment.
Zaretsky also argued that families are important targets for advertisers; by encouraging consumption, the family has progressively become a major source of profit.
-Zaretsky is critical of Persons stabilisation of adult personalities argument. He argues that the role of the family is more sinister as its real function is to help workers manage their resentment of the capitalist workplace which exploits them. He argues that the family dampens such feelings as the worker has a family and is unlikely to engage in actions which threaten their income and their families standard of living.
3) Politically:
the family acts as a steady (stabilising) force that helps maintain the political order needed for companies to function profitably. Family members have to work in order to support each other and their children financially. This responsibility for family members also acts as a political stabilising force. Zaretsky argued that the growth of the privatised nuclear family encourages family members to focus on private problems rather than wider social concerns such as social inequality. The family becomes a release for adult frustrations. Most men are relatively powerless in the workplace, but this is disguised by the power they exert - economic, psychological and occasionally physical - over their family. Political frustrations, therefore, are directed away from their real causes and onto family members.
Criticisms of Marxists
- Too deterministic
Marxists like Zaretsky tend to be over deterministic in their view of human behaviour and fail to take account of free will. Interactionists argue that Marxists rarely consider that some working -class parents may actually resist ruling class ideology e.g by teaching their kids values and norms which are the product of working class culture therefore empowering their children with knowledge of capitalist inequality and exploitation. , it assumes people passively accept socialisation and family life, and that the future is predetermined.
criticisms of marxist perspectives pt.2
- Outdated/less relevant today ;
traditional gender roles are becoming
less common/many women are taking on the role of breadwinner and
men are taking a more active role in childcare. - Too deterministic ;
Ignores the diversity of women’s experiences within the family/assumes all women’s lives within the family are determined capitalism and patriarchy.
-Assumes women are passive victims of capitalism ;
women can be active agents in rejecting expectations placed on them by capitalism/some women actively embrace capitalism and pursue materialism, improved class status etc.
- Patriarchy is common in non-capitalist societies.
-Ignores the many benefits women gain from the family/ignores the
satisfaction some women get from performing the caring/domestic
roles
