Social Policy Flashcards
The functionalist perspective on social policy
- It acts in the interest of all society members
FLETCHER: - introduction of health, education and housing policies post industrial revolution has led to the development of the dependency state - supporting the family to perform their functions effectively
- For example: NHS: help of doctors and medicines means the family can take care of members
A03 if functionalist perspective
FEMINISTS: policies often benefits men at the expense of women criticising the argument that policies benefit all of societies members
New rights view on social policies
Social policies should avoid creating a nanny state
Charles Murray (new right) view on social policies
- DEPENDANCY CULTURE
- The government weakens self-reliance of the family by welfare benefits for example council houses for teen mothers - PERVERSE INCENTIVES:
- If fathers see state provide him for his children, he may abandon his responsibilities
- Result is increase in single parent families as it encourages generous benefits
- Also increases crime rates as boys grow up without father
- providing council homes encourages teen mums to get pregnant
Policies supporting Charles Murray’s view
- Cutting benefits encourages fathers to work and provide for their family.
- Tax favouring marriage supports the nuclear family.
How do feminists criticise the new right - specifically Charles Murray
The new rights policies try to justify traditional patriarchal family - conformed women to domestic role
New labour and family policy
SMART: Labour rejected the new rights view that the family should have just one male earner and recognise women now work.
Polices from new labour
Their policies favoured dual earner families and non-conventional families as described by Robert Chester:
1. Longer maternity leave - three months unpaid for both parents and right to take time off work for family reasons makes it easier for both parents to work
2. Working families credit - tax relief for childcare costs
New labour argues their policies have helped improve family life for example minimum wage has helped lift children out of poverty
New labour alternative family policies
- Same sex partnership for same-sex couples.
- Outlawing discrimination on sexuality.
A03 for new labour policies
Write the new right criticise new labour policy for encouraging young mothers to work arguing this leads to maternal deprivation which therefore leads to discipline issues.
2010 onwards coalition
- condemned policies from 1980s to 1990s similar to the new right
- Renewed emphasis on marriage instead of cohabitation. But they did introduce same-sex marriage in 2014.
- Conservatives 2010: manifested to offer tax benefits for married couples to encourage people to get married
Feminists view on social policies
State and its policies help to maintain women’s subordinate positions and unequal gender divisions of labour in
Land
Social policy assumes the ideal family patriarchal nuclear family with a male breadwinner and female provider along with their dependent children
- The name of what the family is seen like affects policies which reinforce existing patriarchal roles and relations
Example:
Tax and benefit policies assume men of the owner and wives are financially dependent This can make it impossible wives to claim Social Security benefits in their own rights reinforcing dependence. Also child custody sees the courts assuming mothers should have custody and divorces as they are the natural caregiver.
Leonard: feminists view
Even when policies appear to help women, they still reinforce patriarchal and act as a form of social control over women for example:
- Maternity leave: more generous and paternity leave, assumes women hold all or responsibility
- Child benefits: paid to mother assumes child welfare is her primary responsibility
Eileen drew gender regimes - feminist view
Policies and other countries encourage old discourage gender resumes
There are two types of gender regimes:
1. Familistic gender regime:
- Policies assuming the husband works to support the family whilst wife stays at home for domestic work
- For example in Greece little state welfare or publicly funded childcare mean that women reliance support from extended kin
2. Individualistic gender regimes:
- Policies assume husband and wife are equal
- For example in Sweden husband and wife policies
A03 of gender regimes
Policies challenge patriarchal family for example equal pay and sex discrimination laws
