Power in family relationships

Question 1

What do functionalists believe about power

Answer 1

• Do not see the division of roles as based on inequality

- Parsons work suggests men and women play equal complementary roles

Question 2

What do feminists argue

Answer 2

• Men exercise power in most straight family relationships
• Traditionally gendered roles are a major form of inequality
• Women do the majority of domestic labour with no pay and little social status

Question 3

What did Jan Pahl (2005,2008) note

Answer 3

• A growing individualisation in couples finances especially in younger couples who both have paid jobs
• Men and women have separate bank accounts and pay for different things
• This seems like progress compared with the ‘allowance system’ used by older couples
• However, this puts women at a disadvantage if they work part-time, are unemployed or are retired
• Men earn more and therefore have greater spending power
• If couples share household expenses but women earn less, it gives men greater control over family finances

Question 4

What is the allowance system

Answer 4

Where men control the majority of the finances and give their wives a regular allowance to cover housekeeping

Question 5

Why are children still financially dependant on parents

Answer 5

They cannot enter full-time work or earn an adult wage

Question 6

How does the law immpose age patriarchy

Answer 6

It still gives parents power over children

Question 7

What do childrren not recieve until they are 18

Answer 7

Full adult rights e.g. voting and the world they inhabit is controlled by adults

Question 8

Parents make major decisions such as … with little reference to their children

Answer 8

Moving house or seperating

Question 9

What is Palmer’s(2007) theory

Answer 9

• Children are suffering a toxic childhood
• From a diet of junk food, excessive exposure to computer games and a lack of love or discipline due to parents working long hours