the marxist perspective

Question 1

what is marxism?

Answer 1

a conflict theory, seeing conflict between different social classes.

the heart of this conflict stems from economic production where the capitalist’s owners profit is based on the workers wage

there is an inverse relationship between the two

Question 2

what are the key principles of marxism?

Answer 2

class conflict

suppression of the working class

dominant ideology

false class consciousness

ideological state apparatus and repressive state apparatus

Question 3

what is ideological state apparatus?

Answer 3

control through coercion, or manipulating the way people think - and would include institutions such as education, religion, media and family

Question 4

what is repressive state apparatus?

Answer 4

control the population through force - these would include institutions such as the army and police

Question 5

how do marxists view families?

Answer 5

the family socialises children thereby reproducing labour power and acceptance of capitalism (false consciousness)

women’s domestic work is unpaid which benefits capitalism

the family acts as a safety valve for the stresses and frustrations of working class men

the family as a unit of consumption buys the goods and services provided by capitalism

Question 6

friedrich engels (1820 - 1895)

Answer 6

attempted to trace the evolution of the family through time

inheriting property/money ensures wealth can stay within the family

Question 7

engels conclusions

Answer 7

the monogamous bourgeoisie nuclear family developed to help solve the problem of inheritance of private property

the nuclear family is designed to guarantee and perpetuate male dominance through the inheritance of property, serving the interests of capitalism

Question 8

what is false consciousness?

Answer 8

the lack of awareness by the working class of their exploitation

Question 9

what is social control?

Answer 9

how society ensures that its members conform

for marxists this is about acting in ways that serve the powerful

Question 10

what is conflict?

Answer 10

marx sees society based upon this rather than consensus

it is usually hidden

Question 11

what is alienation?

Answer 11

a sense of powerlessness and the working class being detached from their work and lacking control in their lives

Question 12

what are social relations of production?

Answer 12

the relationship between bosses and workers in society

exploitative one in capitalism

Question 13

what is the correspondence principle?

Answer 13

how the relationships in the economy are reflected in other institutions

Question 14

what did zaretsky believe?

Answer 14

the family propped up capitalism

family is the one place where male workers can feel they have power and control because they don’t have it at work

Question 15

zaretsky - socialisation of children

Answer 15

children are socialised into ruling class ideological beliefs such as blind obedience, respect for authority, and acceptance of hierarchy

trained into seeing inequality as normal and natural

children grow up to become uncritical ,passive citizens

the family transmits ruling class values rather than common values which keeps working class people in a state of false consciousness

Question 16

zaretsky - stabilisation of adult personalities

Answer 16

family produces stable workers rather than stable adults

family encourages them to focus on their families, home life and consumerism rather than thinking about their lack of job satisfaction of exploitation

marxists argue that the focus on the family as a haven from a heartless working

Question 17

zaretsky - nuclear family as a unit of consumption

Answer 17

family played a major role as a consumer in generating profit for the capitalist system

most marketing and advertising of consumer goods and services is aimed at the family unit

Question 18

engles theory of the family 1884

Answer 18

earliest human societies were classless because property was communally owned - primitive communism

no such thing as family in these societies - lived in promiscuous hordes , no marriage or control over sexual relationships

society became more capitalist - wealth and property acquired by men

in order to legitimate the paternity of children and therefore male inheritance , monogamous marriage and the patriarchal nuclear family evolved

these led to the oppression of women