Marxist views of the family

Question 1

What is it that Marxist and functionalists both believe in?

Answer 1

Family is an economic unit- that passes on values and culture

Question 2

What are marxist views on the family?

Answer 2

Family form suots a very unepual and exploitative capitalist society and is bad foe people in these families and for wider society as it only really benefits the capitalists (the wealthy)

Question 3

How does this affect children from a marxist point of view?

Answer 3

• it Socializes children to accept the norms of a capitalist society the authority of first their farther but later capitalist bosses.
• Socializes children to be the capitalist workers of the future. to accept capitalist authority and to be obedient and punctual

Question 4

How are women affected by this?

Answer 4

• Women are controlled through the family form and the male authority figure (patriarchal) in capitalist society - male dominated (feminists agree)

Question 5

How does family link to capitalist society?

Answer 5

Families purchase goods and products that are produced in capitalist system- making the wealthy even wealthier- family is a unit of consumption and this suits capitalism.

Question 6

What did Zaretsky (1976) think about family in the capitalist system?

Answer 6

Men who have families less likely to challenge the unfair capitalist system to rebel or take risks such as strike action/political action to change things because they need to care for and support their families- this mean the capitalist system goes largely unchallenged

Question 7

What are some strengths of the marxist theory?

Answer 7

• Marxists explain the ideological role of families in society and suggests reasons people feel strongly about family structure and organization
• Marxism offers and explanation of why families first developed in society
• Marxism points out the unpleasant aspects of family life and the qualities of power within families
• Feminists perspectives have been based their analysis on marxist views of family

Question 8

Name some of the weaknesses of the marxist theory?

Answer 8

-Functionalists would disagree, they would say society is for everyone - not in conflict in consensus
- Marxist only look at the negative side of family life
- perhaps family life is not as violent or unpleasant as marxists assert
- Family is seen in terms of its economic relationship to society and this is simplistic
- operates on the assumption that capitalism is a bad thing , it might not be
- female perspective is overlooked

Question 9

What did cathrine Hakin say about the Marxist view?

Answer 9

Marxist views are dated, Women now have choices but man still choose conventional family life.
female perspective is overlooked