Social Policy - Perspectives on Policy and the Family: The New Right

Question 1

New Right view of social policy: positive or negative

Answer 1

Negative

Question 2

What is the new right strongly in favour of?

Answer 2

The traditional nuclear family

Question 3

What does the New Right see the traditional nuclear family as?

Answer 3

As naturally self-reliant and capable of caring and providing for its members

Question 4

Key function of traditional nuclear family according to the New Right

Answer 4

Successful socialisation of children

Question 5

What does the New Right view the changes that have led to greater family diversity as?

Answer 5

As threats to the traditional nuclear family and producing problems like crime and welfare dependency

Question 6

Changes that have led to greater family diversity

Answer 6

Increases in:
-divorce
-cohabitation
-same-sex partnerships

Question 7

How have social policies helped to undermine the traditional nuclear family according to the New Right?

Answer 7

By encouraging chance in family diversity

Question 8

Two New Right thinkers of this topic

Answer 8

Almond
Charles Murray

Question 9

What does Almond argue about law making divorce easier?

Answer 9

Argues they undermine the idea of marriage and long term commitment

Question 10

What does Almond argue about the introduction of civil partnerships for gay and lesbian couples?

Answer 10

They send out a message that the state no longer sees heterosexual marriage as superior

Question 11

What does Almond argue about tax laws?

Answer 11

Tax laws discriminate against traditional nuclear families with a signal breadwinner as dual-earner couples tend to pay less taxes

Question 12

What aspect of social policy is Charles Murray particular critical about?

Answer 12

Welfare policy

Question 13

New Right view on welfare policy

Answer 13

It provides generous welfare benefits which undermines the traditional nuclear family and encourages deviant family types

Question 14

Generous welfare benefits examples

Answer 14

Council housing for unmarried teenage mothers
Cash payments to support lone-parent families

Question 15

Two ways in which welfare benefits reward irresponsible or anti-social behaviour according to Murray

Answer 15

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

Question 16

What culture are currently social policies encouraging

Answer 16

Dependency culture

Question 17

What two essential functions of the family does dependency culture threaten?

Answer 17

Successful socialisation of the young
Maintenance of work ethic among men

Question 18

What must happen in order for social policy to be a positive thing according to the New Right?

Answer 18

Policy must be changed, with cuts in welfare spending and tighter restrictions on who is eligible for benefits

Question 19

Benefit of cutting welfare benefits according to New Right

Answer 19

Would mean that taxes would be reduced

Question 20

Benefit of denying council housing to unmarried teenage mothers according to New Right

Answer 20

Would remove major incentive to become pregnant young

Question 21

Why would family life be better if the state interferes with the family less according to the New Right?

Answer 21

Because there would be greater self-reliance, allowing families to meet its members’ needs more effectively

Question 22

Evaluation of New Right perceptive on social policy towards family: feminism

Answer 22

Feminists argue that it’s an attempt to justify return to traditional patriarchal nuclear family that conferred power to men

Question 23

Evaluation of New Right perceptive on social policy towards family: wrong assumption

Answer 23

Wrongly assumes patriarchal traditional nuclear family is natural as it is socially constructed

Question 24

Evaluation of New Right perceptive on social policy towards family: Abbott and Wallace

Answer 24

Argue cutting benefits would drive many poor families to poverty, making them even less self-reliant

Question 25

Evaluation of New Right perceptive on social policy towards family: ignore

Answer 25

New Right ignores many policies that support traditional nuclear family