Theories of the family

Theories of the family

1. Marxism

   • Conflict
     • Marxist theorists believe that the family provides the important functions for capitalism
       • feminists believe that the family reinforces patriarchy and gender inequality
   • Engels: the origin of the family
     • the need for a family arose when the societies started to value the private property. system of inheritance became necessary
       • Engels argues that monogamy is needed and the family was created. the family serves the interests of the econnomy
   • Zaretsky-how the family benefits
     • family serves capitalism by offering emotional security from the oppressive world of work
       • family provides emotional warmth to encourage workers to go to work
   • Althusser and Poulantzas
     • family is seen to serve the functions of an ideological state apparatus by socialising both pro-capitalist ideology and familiar ideology ~ its own similar ideology in order to maintain such family patterns
       • feminists argue that Althusser and Poulantzas ignore the fact that such a family ideology supports patriarchy because it suggests men and women should have separate roles
   • Marxist theories
     • Marxist views of family suggests that the family provides emotional support for the workers and it helps them accept the injustices of the capitalist system
       • feminists believe that Marxists emphasis on the social class and capitalism underestimates the importance of gender inequalities in the family

2. Functionalism

   • consensus
     • functionalists believe that the family performs the correct functions for individuals and society
       • new right> family is the cornerstone of society
   • Theories
     • Murdock
       • He argues that the family is universal and its exists everywhere and it performs the 4 main functions
         • stable satisfaction of the sex drive
           • Reproduction of the next generation
             • socialisation of the young (primary socialisation)
               • economic needs
                 • e,g, shelter and food
               • shares norms and values
             • without this society cannot continue
           • socially acceptable to avoid social disruption
       • Marxists and feminists reject his 'rose tinted' consensus view that the family meets all the needs required
   • Parsons
     • every family in every society holds two basic functions: primary socialisation and stabilisation of adult personalities
       • family gives individual adult a 'safety valve' where they can relax~ escape stress
       • parsons believes the structure of the family suits the economy at the time best
         • family is geographically mobile - can easily move to new centres of production
     • parsons view of the socialisation process is criticised for being too deterministic

3. The New Right- right wing (1993)

   • founding father: Charles Murray, not traditionally a sociological theory
     • Charles Murray and other new right theorists take functionalists assumptions and attempt to apply them to social policy
       • assumptions
         • pro famalistic, nuclear family is universal, view the nuclear family positively and against diversity.