Marxists Perspective On Family Flashcards
what are the 3 functions that Marxists see the family as fulfilling for capitalism
inheritance of property
ideological functions
unit of consumptions
what do Marxists argue about the inheritance of property
the key factors that determine the shape of all social institutions is the mode of production
what’s the mode of production
who owns and controls society’s productive sources like raw materials, machinery, land and labor
who normally owns these means of production
capitalists
as the mode of production evolves what else evolves
the family
what do Marxists argue about ideological functions
the family today performs key ideological functions
how do families perform these key ideological functions
socialising children into the idea that inequality and hierarchy is inevitable
another way families perform these key ideological functions
parental power over children accustoms them to the idea that there is always someone in charge (usually a man)
what do these ideological functions prepare children for
a working life in which they will accept orders from their capitalist employers
one way the families play a role in unit of consumptions by vegetating profits for capitalists
advertisers urge families to ‘keep up with the Joneses’ by consuming the latest product
another way
media targets children who use ‘pester power’ to persuade parents to spend more
one criticism
marxists tend to assume that the nuclear family is dominant in capitalist society, so they ignore the wide variety of family structures found in society today
what do feminists criticise marxists of
the marxists emphasis on class and capitalism underestimates the importance of gender inequalities within the family
what do feminists argue about gender inequalities in the family
they are more fundamental than class inequalities and the family primarily serves the interests of men, not capitalism
what do functionalists criticises them of
marxists ignore the very real benefits that the family provides for its members
