marxist theory of family✅

Question 1

what are marxists interested with in regards to family life

Answer 1

• interested in how family contributes to the overall running of society rather than how ppl experience family on daily basis
• want to find out overall purpose/function of family in society

Question 2

how do marxists describe the relationship between capitalist and working class

Answer 2

• characterised by exploitation
• cause wages of working class do not reflect the true value of the work that they do for the Bourgeoisie
• in short—> our lives are defined by what class we belong to

Question 3

what does Zaretsky(1976) claim about the family in regards to benefitting the ruling class

Answer 3

• socialises children into norms/values that are useful for capitalism
  *i.e. family is an ideological agent of the ruling class

Question 4

A03 of Zaretsky’s view of the family being a socialiser for the bourgeoisie

Answer 4

Cooper(1972) agrees with Zaretsky
- states that family serves an ideological function
- teaches values that benefit capitalism
- these values create foundation for obedient workforce

Question 5

describe Zaretsky’s cushioning effect

Answer 5

• argues that family acts as a comforting device for the worker against the hardships of an oppressive and exploitative workplace
• ensures men are not stressed and can work effectively
• prevents rebellion

Question 6

what does Ansley make of Zaretsky’s cushioning effect principle?

Answer 6

• agrees, claiming that women become emotional punching bags
• women are the “takers of shit”
• women’s primary job becomes looking after the man

Question 7

how does Zaretsky claim that families are encouraged by ruling class ideologies in regards to consumerism

Answer 7

• encouraged through advertising and other types of mass media to “keep up with the jones’ ” and buy more consumer products

Question 8

what did Marcuse note in regards to the profitability of capitalism

Answer 8

• Marcus noted that the profitability of capitalism depended on the family spending money on ‘false needs’

Question 9

what do ‘false needs’ refer to?

Answer 9

• consumer goods which are mainly bought to be conspicuously consumed

Question 10

how does consumerism of false needs link in to Fletcher

Answer 10

• in the 21st century the nuclear fam performs vital economic consumption
• the goods and services provided by the economy are mainly consumed by the family

Question 11

why can Zaretsky’s view be considered outdated?

Answer 11

• writing in the 1980s
• assumes worker is male and that there is only 1 worker in the family
• ignores positive benefits that all family members may receive,
  eg. emotional support, comfort and general positive effects

Question 12

what did Engles examine?

Answer 12

• the way in which the family had evolved throughout history
• divided the history of humanity into two main eras

Question 13

what were the two main eras Engles divided the history of humanity into

Answer 13

• the era of primitive communism
• the era of capitalism

Question 14

describe the era of primitive communism

Answer 14

• no private property
• lived in tribes
• very few rules limiting sexual relationships—> marriage as we know it did not exist
• children were brought up by whole tribe rather than just parents

Question 15

describe the era of capitalism

Answer 15

• the role of the family changed with the ‘invention’ of capitalism
• need to facilitate inheritance along bloodlines

Question 16

why did Engle’s claim that the monogamous nuclear family was adopted by capitalists?

Answer 16

• because it provided the most efficient way to ensure wealth and private property was inherited by a persons direct descendants

Question 17

how do feminists A03 Engles?

Answer 17

• feminists not that this has basically lead to the ‘world historical defeat of the female sex’
• women have been turned into a ‘mere instrument for the production of children’

Question 18

what are some overall evaluation points of the Marxist view of the family?

Answer 18

• maxists exclude other factors (feminists)
• postmodernists claim Marxist theory is out of date
• too deterministic

Question 19

what is an overall marxist criticism regarding the exclusion of other factors?

Answer 19

-feminists criticise marxists for failing to examine specific problems for women
eg:
- mothers reproduce+socialise next gen of workers
- women are responsible for majority of domestic tasks
- female domestic workers ensure male workers are healthy/efficient
- women form reserve army of labour

Question 20

what is an A03 point of the marxist view of the family regarding Benston

Answer 20

• Benston(feminist) argues wife’s unpaid domestic labour is critical for healthy capitalist society
• keeps husband in good ‘running order’ by caring for his needs
  however this theory can explain existence of ‘dark side of the family’ –> Ansley

Question 21

how do Postmodernists criticise Marxist theories of the family?

Answer 21

• marxist theory is out of date
• the idea that men marry to pass down wealth ignores other reasons for marriage
• many women now work and have homes therefore less likely to marry for economic security

-counterargument= Zeretsky and Engles were merely writing as a reflection of their time
- cant be expected to consider modern day family diversity eg:women working

Question 22

A03 of marxists claiming that family is a social construction and how it isn’t good for whole of society

Answer 22

• too deterministic
• functionalists argue there are many positive benefits eg;SOAP
  –> just because you are w/c doesn’t mean you will be exploited