Social Policy - Perspectives on Policy and the Family: The New Right Flashcards
New Right view of social policy: positive or negative
Negative
What is the new right strongly in favour of?
The traditional nuclear family
What does the New Right see the traditional nuclear family as?
As naturally self-reliant and capable of caring and providing for its members
Key function of traditional nuclear family according to the New Right
Successful socialisation of children
What does the New Right view the changes that have led to greater family diversity as?
As threats to the traditional nuclear family and producing problems like crime and welfare dependency
Changes that have led to greater family diversity
Increases in:
-divorce
-cohabitation
-same-sex partnerships
How have social policies helped to undermine the traditional nuclear family according to the New Right?
By encouraging chance in family diversity
Two New Right thinkers of this topic
Almond
Charles Murray
What does Almond argue about law making divorce easier?
Argues they undermine the idea of marriage and long term commitment
What does Almond argue about the introduction of civil partnerships for gay and lesbian couples?
They send out a message that the state no longer sees heterosexual marriage as superior
What does Almond argue about tax laws?
Tax laws discriminate against traditional nuclear families with a signal breadwinner as dual-earner couples tend to pay less taxes
What aspect of social policy is Charles Murray particular critical about?
Welfare policy
New Right view on welfare policy
It provides generous welfare benefits which undermines the traditional nuclear family and encourages deviant family types
Generous welfare benefits examples
Council housing for unmarried teenage mothers
Cash payments to support lone-parent families
Two ways in which welfare benefits reward irresponsible or anti-social behaviour according to Murray
Provides council housing for unmarried teenage mothers which encourages young girls to become pregnant
Growth of lone-parent families means more boys grow up worn out male role model, leading to rising crime rates among young males
What culture are currently social policies encouraging
Dependency culture
What two essential functions of the family does dependency culture threaten?
Successful socialisation of the young
Maintenance of work ethic among men
What must happen in order for social policy to be a positive thing according to the New Right?
Policy must be changed, with cuts in welfare spending and tighter restrictions on who is eligible for benefits
Benefit of cutting welfare benefits according to New Right
Would mean that taxes would be reduced
Benefit of denying council housing to unmarried teenage mothers according to New Right
Would remove major incentive to become pregnant young
Why would family life be better if the state interferes with the family less according to the New Right?
Because there would be greater self-reliance, allowing families to meet its members’ needs more effectively
Evaluation of New Right perceptive on social policy towards family: feminism
Feminists argue that it’s an attempt to justify return to traditional patriarchal nuclear family that conferred power to men
Evaluation of New Right perceptive on social policy towards family: wrong assumption
Wrongly assumes patriarchal traditional nuclear family is natural as it is socially constructed
Evaluation of New Right perceptive on social policy towards family: Abbott and Wallace
Argue cutting benefits would drive many poor families to poverty, making them even less self-reliant
Evaluation of New Right perceptive on social policy towards family: ignore
New Right ignores many policies that support traditional nuclear family
