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Marxism Theories Of The Family - Coggle Diagram
Marxism Theories Of The Family
Marxism views the nuclear family not as a natural biological institution but as a social construct that serves the needs of capitalism. According to Friedrich Engels, the nuclear family emerged alongside the rise of private property to ensure that wealthy men could pass their wealth down to their biological family.
It is believed that under capitalism families are vital consumers for society. They generate profits for the ruling class by purchasing goods and services, often by advertising and media that target children
Key Terms
Capitalism
An economics system where goods and businesses are privately owned for profit
Bourgeoisie
The capitalist/ruling class - a minority who own the means of production
Proletariat
Unit of consumption
An economic system where goods and businesses are privately owned for profit
Ideological function
A set of ideas that justify inequality and persuade people to accept capitalism as fair, natural or unchangeable
Inheritance of property
Engel's idea - monogamy developed so men could pass private property to their biological children
What Is Capitalism?
(A society divided into unequal classes)
Proletariat (Working Class)
The majority sell their labour to the bourgeoisie in exchange for wages
Their labour is exploited for profit, they produce more value than they paid for.
Bourgeoisie (Capitalist / Ruling Class)
A small minority who OWN the means of production, factories, land, machinery and businesses.
Goods and businesses are owned privately for the purpose of Profit (surplus value)
Three Marxist Thinkers on the Family
Friedrich Engles
Inheritance of Private Property
The family developed so mend could control women and children, ans pass property to their biological offspring. Monogamy ensured certainty of paternity
As capitalism emerged, a class of men gained control of the means of production.
This created a patriarchal monogamous nuclear family
Monogamy became essential - men needed to be certain of paternity to pass property to their biological children.
Engel argued this turned women into a mere instrument for the production of children.
The family ensures private property passes safely from one generation to the next within the same class - keeping wealth concentrated
Eli Zaretsky
Unit of Consumption
The family is a "prop" to capitalism - unpaid housework supports future workers, and the family consumed goods produced for profit.
"The family buys the products of captialism producers - advertisers target tfamilies, "pester power" drives spending on the lastest goods.
"Haven from the Storm"
The family appeared to provide a refuge from capitalism's harshness, but this is an illusion built on women's domestic servitude.
Nicos Poulantzas
Ideological Function
The family is a part of the "ideological state apparatus" - an "ideological conditioning device" that teaches children to conform and accept hierarchy
Children are socialises to accept hierarchy is norm - preparing them to be obedient workers who don't challenge inequality.
Dialectic Materialism
Evaluation of Marxism
Marxists assume the nuclear family is dominant, ignoring the wide variety of family structures in society today.
Feminists say that marxists emphasise on capitalism and class underestimates the important of gender inequalities
Functialists say that marxists ignore the real benefits the family provides, intmacy, mutual support, emotional securty.
Zaretsky is criticised for exaggerating how much the family can escape alienating work, ignores cruelty, neglect and violence in some families.
Some families are anti-capitalist, they socialise children to be critical of the ruling class, not accepting of it.
Strength: Marxism usefully highlights economics influneces on family life and how the family may benefit some social groups (higher classes) more than others.