Marxist Views Of The Family Flashcards
What do Marxists believe about the family?
that its main function is to maintain capitalism and reinforce social inequalities
What did Marx and Engles believe?
that the monogamous nuclear family was developed as a way to pass on private property to heirs.
Engles suggests that the family ensures wealth stays wthin the family through private inheritance, this helps to maintain capitalism by keeping the rich rich
what is zaretsky’s cushioning effect?
he believes the family helps a man to feel in control and powerful, which they dont in the workplace due to the bourgeoisie oppression
this also maintains capilalism as it prevents the proletariat men from recognising their oppression and revolting
how does zaretsky describe the family as acting as a unit of consumption?
he says the family plays a major role in generating profits since its an important market for the sale of consumer goods
–> this is done in many ways:
-the media target children who persuade their parents to spend more
-advertisers urge families to ‘keep up with the Jonses’’ by consuming all the latest products
What are the 3 main functions that marxists see the family as fulfilling?
- inheritance of property
- ideological functions
- a unit of consumption
how is the Marxist view of the family criticised?
- assumes the nuclear family is the majority and ignores other types of family
- ignores men who marry for love and not to pass down property
- outdated - many women work now and dont marry and concieve for protection
- ignores the functions a family can play with support, emotional security etc…
- femenists argue that marxists place too much importance on class and not enough on patriarchy
What does Althusser argue?
that the family socialises children into norms and values that are useful to the capitalist ruling class
- for example, children learn obediance and respect for those in authority
What are the strengths of the marxist view of the family?
- aknowledge family as part of state apparatus
- contributed to understanding of family as an ideology and how it emerged
- share the same importance of the nuclear family as functionalists
