Marxists perspectives on the family

Question 1

What do marxists believe?

Answer 1

believe that society is split into two parts; the ruling class who own private property and employ the working class and the subject class who own their own labour and are exploited by the rlc. They believe this is a capitalist society and believe it isn’t fair and the family supports capitalism

Question 2

What does Engels believe?

Answer 2

believes that monogamy is essential because of the inheritance of private property so there is a legitmate heir and we can know the paternity of the child

Question 3

What are marxists 3 functions to help maintain capitalism?

Answer 3

• inheritance of property
• teaching rlc ideology
• unit of consumption

Question 4

What is the ruling class ideology?

Answer 4

norms and values that the rlc want people to follow in orderr to think equality is normal

Question 5

Examples of norms and values

Answer 5

• paid work is normal
• future means marriage and kids which means new generation of workers
• need to buy things and consume

Question 6

What does Zaretsky say?

Answer 6

says that family perform the ideological function by offering a haven from the harsh world of capitalism where workers can be themselves
- argues this is an illusion

Question 7

What is unit of consumption?

Answer 7

advertisers urge families to consume all the latest products
- children who lack the latest things are mocked and stigmatised

Question 8

Criticisms of the marxist theories of the family

Answer 8

-Nuclear family is dominant - parsons argues that the family fits the needs of society and is the dominant family
- Bias focus on class inequality - feminists argue that marxists focus too much on class inequalities whilst disregarding gender inequalities as family harms women more than anything
- ignores positive aspect of family life - not all bad happens in families as there are some good moments