social policy Flashcards
what are cross-cultural examples in which state’s policies can affect family life?
china’s one-child policy: aimed to discourage couples from having more than one child, couples who comply get extra benefits
communist russia: restricted contraception and abortion to drive up the birth rate which has been falling as living standards declined
nazi family policy: encouraged ‘racially pure’ to breed a ‘master race’ by restricting abortion and contraception and sterilised disabled people
what is the functionalist perspective on families and social policy?
based on value consensus, social policies help families perform their function more effectively
what did Fletcher say about social policy?
introduction of health, education and housing policies has led to development of a welfare state that supports family in performing its functions effectively
e.g. NHS means that with the help of doctors and medicine the family can take better care of its members when sick
what are criticisms of the functionalist perspective on families and social policy?
assumes all members benefit equally whereas feminists say they benefit men
assumes that there is a march of progress but marxists say policies can reverse progress e.g. by cutting welfare benefits
what did Donzelot say?
different perspective from functionalist, has a conflict view of society and sees policy as a form of state power and control over families
uses Foucault’s concept of surveillance, power diffused throughout society especially professionals such as doctors and social workers who use their knowledge to control and change families
e.g. state seeks control by imposing parenting orders through the courts, parents of young offender or badly behaved children may be forced to attend classes to correct the way they bring up their children
what are criticisms of Donzelot?
marxists and feminists criticise because he fails to identify clearly who benefits from such policies of surveillance
marxists say the benefit the capitalists class while feminists say men are the ones that benefit
what is the new rights perspective on the family?
they oppose state intervention in family life
see the traditional nuclear family as natural and based on biological divisions
if parents perform roles properly family will be self-reliant
opposes family diversity and sees lone parent and same sex families as damaging to children
why does the new right criticise many welfare policies?
create a dependency culture
Murray sees benefits as ‘perverse incentives’ rewarding irresponsible behaviour e.g. providing council housing for unmarried teenage mothers encourages young girls to become pregnant
what is the new right solution?
they favour cutting welfare spending especially universal benefits as this will give fathers more incentive to provide for their families and less reliant on the state
e.g. denying council housing to unmarried teenagers would remove incentive to get pregnant
also advocate for policies to support traditional nuclear family
what are criticisms of the new right?
feminists argue it is an attempt to justify a return to the traditional patriarchal nuclear family and wrongly assumes the patriarchal nuclear family is natural
Abbott and Wallace argue that cutting benefits would drive many poor families into even greater poverty and make them less self-reliant
they ignore policies that support and maintain the conventional nuclear family
how did the new right influence the conservative government (1979-97)?
banned the promotion of homosexuality by local authorities
set up child support agency to enforce maintenance payments by absent parents
however, made divorce easier
how did the new right influence the new labour governments (1997-2010)?
emphasised the need for parents to take responsibility for their children, introduces parenting orders for parents of truants and young offenders
however, introduces civil partnerships for same-sex couples and passed the new deal helping lone parents to work
how are conservatives divided?
modernisers: recognise that families are more diverse and willing to reflect this in policies
traditionalists: favour new right and reject diversity as morally wrong
how did new right influence coalition government (2010-15)?
divisions within conservatives made it difficult to maintain a consistent policy line and influence of traditionalists was weakened by Lib Dems
financial austerity policies reflect new right’s desire to cut public spending
however they introduced gay marriage
what do feminists say about families and social policy?
they see policy as a self-fulfilling prophecy: (Land) they assume the patriarchal nuclear family to be the norm, so they help to reproduce this family type.
e.g. maternity leave longer than paternity leave, reinforcing women’s responsibility for childcare
not enough childcare for two full time parents, so women restricted from working and financially dependent on their partners
