The New Right

Question 1

What are the new rights beliefs?

Answer 1

• Have a conservative and political stance on family
• also believe that the nuclear family is the ideal family dynamic
• Have an aggressive stance on the traditional family as they believe that people should be forced to take on these roles
• They think benefits are not good for people and should be abolished.

Question 2

Why do they think the traditional family is good for children?

Answer 2

Men should take the instrumental role in the family and women should take the expressive role
- Allows children to witness both and they become law-abiding and responsible adults.

Question 3

What do they claim is the problem with not having a traditional family type?

Answer 3

They believe women being free from the traditional housewife role has contributed to the breakdown of society
- This is because they believe it goes against a woman’s biology.

Question 4

What is an example of the new right belief?

Answer 4

A trad wife demonstrates a completely traditional role as a woman as they are stay-at-home wife who is completely submissive and obedient to their husbands

Question 5

Why does the new right believe that other family types are problematic?

Answer 5

Believe other family types are inadequate for raising children
- Same-sex families are deemed as natural as they do not provide male and female role models so children aren’t socialised properly.
- Single parents are also criticised as they are seen as lacking one of role model which can lead to less disciplined children and they receive benefits

Question 6

What does Murray claim about benefits?

Answer 6

The overgenerous benefits have led to a culture of dependency
- Leads to people who live off these benefits and don’t have the desire to work
- Fatalistic attitudes are put on children of underclass families which lead to them having low aspirations

Question 7

What does Murray claim about single parents?

Answer 7

• He says the growth of these families is harmful because they create a perverse incentive meaning they are being rewarded for irresponsible actions
• He thinks benefits should be abolished

Question 8

What do feminists say about the new rights perspectives?

Answer 8

• They claim the new rights view on women is oppressive and reduce equality against men and women
• The new right also ignore the dark side of the family as men can be violent to their wives.

Question 9

What is argued about single parents?

Answer 9

Some people don’t choose to be single parents as it is usually a result of a divorce or separation

Question 10

What are the evaluations for the nuclear family being ideal?

Answer 10

• The new right doesn’t recognise the idea of an absent father which gives the same effect as a single-parent household.
• Fail to recognise that the ‘present’ father can neglect his children.