Family Structures: Functionalist, Marxist, and Feminist Views PDF

4.2.1 Functionalist Views Functionalists view the family as a crucial institution that contributes to social stability and cohesion. They argue that the family provides essential functions that benefit both individuals and society. Key Theorists & Ideas: Murdock (1949) – Identified four ke...

4.2.1 Functionalist Views Functionalists view the family as a crucial institution that contributes to social stability and cohesion. They argue that the family provides essential functions that benefit both individuals and society. Key Theorists & Ideas: Murdock (1949) – Identified four key functions of the family: 1. Sexual – Provides a stable sexual relationship for adults. 2. Reproductive – Ensures the continuation of society through childbearing. 3. Economic – Provides for members’ needs (e.g., food, shelter). 4. Educational (socialization) – Transmits society’s norms and values to children. Parsons (1955) – Proposed two essential family functions: 1. Primary Socialization of Children – Families instil shared values, integrating children into society. 2. Stabilization of Adult Personalities (‘Warm Bath Theory’) – The family provides emotional support, helping adults cope with stress. Parsons’ Structural Differentiation Theory – Suggests that as society industrialized, some family functions (e.g., education, healthcare) were transferred to specialized institutions like schools and hospitals, leading to the “loss of functions” debate. However, Parsons still saw the nuclear family as essential. Evaluation: Strengths: Emphasizes the family’s role in maintaining social order. Acknowledges how the family supports both individuals and wider society. Recognizes the family’s adaptability to social changes. Weaknesses: Feminist criticism – Ignores gender inequalities within the family. Marxist criticism – Overlooks how the family reinforces capitalism and class inequalities.  Assumes the nuclear family is the norm, ignoring family diversity (e.g., single-parent, same-sex, extended families). 4.2.2 Marxist Views Marxists argue that the family serves capitalism by maintaining and reproducing class inequalities. They believe the family benefits the ruling class while exploiting the working class. Key Theorists & Ideas: Engels (1884) – Suggested that the nuclear family emerged alongside private property to ensure wealth was passed down through legitimate heirs. This reinforced patriarchy, as women’s roles became tied to monogamy and childcare to secure inheritance. Zaretsky (1976) – Argued that the family creates a false sense of security for workers. While it appears to provide emotional support, it actually helps capitalism by maintaining an exploited workforce that continues to produce and consume goods. Althusser (1971) – Saw the family as part of the Ideological State Apparatus, meaning it socializes children into accepting capitalism as normal and inevitable. Cooper (1972) – Argued that parents teach children to be obedient and unquestioning, preparing them to accept hierarchy and authority in the workplace. Key Marxist Concepts: Unit of Consumption – Families are targeted by advertisers to buy goods, ensuring continuous profit for businesses. Reproduction of Class Inequality – Wealthy families pass down property and privilege, while working-class families struggle to improve their social position. Exploitation of Women – Women’s unpaid domestic labor (housework, childcare) supports capitalism by maintaining the workforce without financial compensation. Evaluation: Strengths: Highlights the economic role of the family in maintaining social inequality.  Explains how capitalism benefits from both paid and unpaid labor within the family. Recognizes that family structures have changed due to economic shifts. Weaknesses: Functionalist criticism – Overlooks the positive functions of the family, such as emotional support and social cohesion. Feminist criticism – Focuses too much on class and ignores gender inequalities within the family. Ignores that some people genuinely find fulfilment in family life rather than seeing it as a tool of oppression. 4.2.3 Feminist Views Feminists argue that the family reinforces patriarchy by maintaining male dominance and restricting women's opportunities. They emphasize how traditional family structures disadvantage women. Key Theorists & Ideas: Oakley (1974) – Found that gender roles are socially constructed through childhood socialization, where girls are encouraged to be nurturing and boys to be independent. Delphy and Leonard (1992) – Argued that men benefit most from women's unpaid labor, as housework and childcare are forms of economic exploitation that serve men’s interests. Duncombe and Marsden (1995) – Identified the triple shift, where women do paid work, housework, and emotional labor (supporting their partner and children). Dobash and Dobash (1980) – Studied domestic violence and found that many cases were triggered by men asserting control over their female partners, reinforcing male dominance within the family. Greer (2000) – A radical feminist who argued that even in modern society, the nuclear family oppresses women and that matrilocal households (where women live together) could be a better alternative. Key Feminist Concepts:  Domestic Division of Labor – Women are expected to take on more household responsibilities, even when they also have paid jobs. Gendered Socialization – Children are taught traditional gender roles from an early age, reinforcing inequality. Decision-Making Power – Studies show that men often have the final say in financial and major family decisions. Evaluation: Strengths: Highlights gender inequalities and the power imbalance within families. Acknowledges how unpaid labour (housework, childcare) disproportionately affects women. Recognizes the role of domestic violence in maintaining male dominance. Weaknesses: Marxist criticism – Overlooks class differences and how working-class men also experience oppression. Functionalist criticism – Ignores the positive aspects of family life, such as emotional support and companionship. Postmodernist criticism – Assumes that all families are patriarchal, when modern relationships are increasingly more egalitarian.