What do sociologists think about ideologies of political parties and their social policies?

Question 1

Murray (regarding Conservative New Right ideology and social policy)

Answer 1

• very critical of past government policies believing that they contributed to the disintegration of the nuclear family
• single parent families would mean young boys growing up with a role model and so developing discipline problems

Question 2

Silva and Smart (regarding New Labour policy)

Answer 2

• ‘strong families’ are more likely to be seen as the traditional nuclear families so social policies encouraged the ‘conventional’ families

Question 3

Chester (regarding New Labour policy)

Answer 3

• described the dual-earner neo-conventional family (New Labour policies favoured these)

Question 4

Hayton (regarding Coalition government policies)

Answer 4

• describes the split between the modernisers and traditionalists within the Conservative party