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Theories of the Family - Coggle Diagram
Theories of the Family
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Marxist Perspective
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Inheritance of property (Engels) - families exist so the bourgeoise can pass on their private property (homes, business and wealth) to their children.
. Capitalism promotes the monogamous nuclear family - all the wealth will stay in the hands of the rich, keeping the poor, poor.
. women's sexuality can be controlled by men reducing women to reproductive tools in a capitalist society.
. Marx further argues in the holy family - 'the change in a historical epoch can always be determind by the progres of women towards freedom'.
Ideological functions (Zaretsky) - the family breads capitalist ideology, but is not the same as a political ideology.
. You unconsciously learn that capitalism is a fair, natural and equal system, were socialised to accept inequality within the system.
. The family structure reflects the capitalist hierarchy, as parents have power over their children and children learn to be subservient ready for the workplace.
. It presents the illusion of respite from the capitalist world, families cannot meet the needs of its members.
A unit of consumption - the family is a source of profit for the bourgeoise by creating competition between families.
. Children are targeted for products via the media - pester power
. Children who lack the latest 'must haves are mocked and stigmatised by their peers'.
Criticisms
. Focuses too much on class conflict; what about gender inequality?
. Ignores positive functions of the family
. Assumes the nuclear family is dominant in a capitalist society.
. Families are natural and can't be helped
. Might have family members who aren't as rich as them
New Right Perspective
Traditional Values (keep things the same) - social developments in the 1960s had given way to a range of movements, that demanded societal changes;
. Civil Rights Movement
. Feminist Movement
. Student Movement
. Anti-war Movement
. LGBT Movement
. Youth Movements like punk, hippy, reggae ect.
Decline of Family
Increase in the divorce rate, the average marriage lasts 12 years, 18% increase for opposite-sex couples and 428-822 divorces of same sex couples in 2019.
Children born out of wedlock was 48.1% of children in 2017, this lead to unsocialised children and decaying morals in society.
Who is to blame?
Charles Murry - makes 2 assumptions;
- Single parents were to blame for society's problems - society is too dependent on the welfare state, like pensions, healthcare, education, unemployment benefits etc.
- the new rabble - long-term unemployed underclass, people who have been out of work for more than a year.
The welfare dependant - people who seek help from the government.
Single Mothers - are considered extremely dangerous for society as children were not socialised properly. Lack of male role models which will lead young boys to a life of crime.
The New Victorians
Their are respectable middle classes who marry, socialise their children properly, work and pay their taxes.
Evaluations
. The decline of the nuclear family is exaggerated - most adults still have children. Divorce has increased but most divorcees remarry.
. Feminists - gender roles are socially determined rather than being fixed by biology. Traditional gender roles are oppressive to womwn.
. Marxists - single parents are not welfare scroungers, unemployment is due to economic circumstances.
. Chester - most children will spend most of their lives in a nuclear family arrangement.
Feminist Perspective
Radical Feminism - They believe that all societies are founded on patriarchy, and men are the source of women's exploitation.
. Family and marriage are patriarchal.
- men benefit from women's unpaid domestic work and sexual services.
- Allows women to be dominated through domestic and social violence.
- Girls are socialised to accept male dominance.
. Separatism - women must organise and live independently of men.
Evaluations - Liberal Feminists - RF failed to recognise women's position has improved. Women also have better access to divorce, jobs and fertility control.
Difference Feminism - other approaches generalise women's experiences of family.
. Not all women live in nuclear families
. Neglect family as a positive experience
. Black families argue it can be a source of support and resistance to radical oppression.
. Marxist Feminism - they believe that capitalism is to blame for women's weaker role in the family.
- women perform key functions for capitalism to survive.
. Reproducing the labour force -they socialise children into accepting the hierarchy.
. Absorb anger - they soak up their partner's frustrations and alienation within capitalism (Ansley 1972).
. Source of cheap labour -women are employed when companies are short on workers and forced to return to domestic role when needed.
Evaluations - Post-modern Feminists -when women have more choice over family types and can assert themselves in their relationships.
. Liberal Feminists - They fight for equal rights and opportunities within the existing legal system.
. laws can change people's attitudes to women's role in the family.
. Gender equality can only be won through legal reforms.
. Equal Pay Act 1970
- Young & Willmott - march of progress- change will come gradually, as men are now doing more domestic labour and children are now socialised with equal aspirations.
Evaluations - Marxists/ Radical Feminists - law doesn't change societies attitudes and liberal feminists do not address the causes.
Postmodern Feminism - other feminists theories are out of date.
. Women have more choice over their relationships and identities.
. Women have the option to resist oppression, what it means to be a women has extended.
Feminism aims to achieve political, social, economic and personal equality between sexes.
Structuralist approach - family maintains social order.
Conflict approach - family only benefits the patriarchy, men hold the dominant power in society.
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