TOPIC 1 - MARXIST Perspective

Question 1

What do Marxists see Capital Society based on?

Answer 1

based on an UNEQUAL CONFLICT BETWEEN the BOURGEOISIE (capitalist class) and the PROLETARIAT (working class)

Question 2

What do Marxists see as the Function of all society’s institutions?

Answer 2

institutions help MAINTAIN CLASS INEQUALITY and CAPITALISM

Question 3

What are 4 Functions of the Family according to Marxists?

Answer 3

• INHERITENCE of PROPERTY
• IDEOLOGOCIAL FUNCTION
• UNIT OF CONSUMPTION
• SOCIAL CONTROL

Question 4

What is the Marxist Function INHERITENCE of PROPERTY?

what did engles say monogamy

Answer 4

INHERITING PRIVATE PROPERTY supports idea of the FAMILY being a TOOL for the MAINTAINANCE of CAPITALISM

brought out MONOGAMOUS nuclear family - ENGLES - men had to be sure of the paternity of their children to ensure that their legitimate heirs inherited from them

Question 5

What is the Marxist IDEOLOGICAL FUNCTION?

what’ family responsible for

Answer 5

IDEAS that JUSIFTY INEQUALITY and MAINTAIN the CAPITALIST SYSTEM by persuading people to ACCEPT IT as FAIR, NATURAL, UNCHANGEABLE

FAMILY responsible for SOCIALISING CHILDREN into ACCEPTING HIERARCHY. Firstly learn to accept Parental power

Question 6

What did Althissser argue about the Marxist IDEOLOGICAL FUNCTION?
apparatuses

Answer 6

for CAPTITALISM to SURVIVE, the W/C must SUBMIT to the BOURGEOISIE.
the FAMILY is one of the IDEOLOGICAL STATE APPARATUSES that are concerned with SOCIAL CONTROL and PASSING on the IDEOLOGY of the RULING CLASS

Question 7

What is the Marxist Function A UNIT OF CONSUMPTION?

Answer 7

the CAPITALIST SYSTEM and the BOURGEOISE EXPLOITING the labour of workers ( PROLETARIAT ) and make PROFIT by SELLING the products for MORE than it PAYS them to PRODUCE their COMMODITIES

Question 8

How do the FAMILY play A MAJOR ROLE to PERFORM the Marxist Function A UNIT OF CONSUMPTION

Answer 8

• ADVERTISES URGE FAMILIES to ‘ keep up with the Joneses ‘ by CONSUMING all the LATEST PRODUCTS
• The MEDIA TARGET CHILDREN, who use ‘PESTER POWER’; to PERSUADE PARENTS to SPEND MORE

Question 9

What is the Marxist Function SOCIAL CONTROL?

example aswell

Answer 9

the way in which the STATE WATCHES and CONTROLS what HAPPENS in the FAMILY
e.g. sending in social workers to check up on parenting

Question 10

What are 2 CRITICISMS of the MARXIS PERSPECTIVE?

Answer 10

• tend to ASSUME that the NUCLEAR FAMILY is DOMINANT in capitalist society. IGNORES the wide VARIETY of FAMILY STRCTURES today
• FEMINISTS argue that MARXISTS EMPHASIS on CLASS and CAPITALISM UNDERESTIMATES the importance of GENDER INEQUALITIES within the FAMILY