marxist view on family strengths and weaknesses marxist view on family strengths and weaknesses

Marxism is also a structural theory, which means it believes societal structures shape individuals. Conflict may come up about what faith the children should be raised in. Feminists argue that Marxists overlook the role of the family in maintaining gender inequalities. For functionalists, society is seen as a system of social institutions such as the economy, religion and the family all of which . In order to keep this property, they had to find a way to prevent it from being shared with everyone else. Real needs, for example, are basic material things such as food, shelter, clothing, transportation, health, education, and general welfare. Marx was a character influenced by the prominent writers of his time, most notable Fredrich Hegel. Due to these inequalities, Marxism sees society as being in constant conflict between these social classes. Marx on gender and the family: A critical study (Vol. 1. a spouse and children) that becomes a much more difficult decision. The Marxist perspective on the family is normally taught after the Functionalist perspective on the Family, and is normally the second of five perspectives on the family within the families and households module in A-level sociology. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. We will start by recapping our knowledge of Marxism generally. For example, they dismiss the functionalist view that the law reflects value consensus, arguing instead that it perpetuates ruling class ideology. In particular, he focused on the experiences of middle-class and working-class children in education and work, namely through the lenses of economic, cultural, and social capital. Or they can join with other workers and go on strike and temporarily do without pay by way of a protest to push for better pay or conditions. Conflict theory looks at society as a competition for limited resources. WEAKNESSES. If you like this sort of thing, then you might like my AS Sociology Families and Households Revision Bundle. Nov 24th, 2018 Published. How do the parents talk to them about life, and take them to the park to play? Marxism is a structural conflict perspective in sociology. Apart from economic capital, which other types of capital did Bourdieu discuss? According to Engels, the nuclear family promotes inheritance and consequently intergenerational inequality. Women are now generally in control of their sexuality e.g. Lastly, we'll look at French philosopher and sociologist Louis Althusser's views on the family. The Family & Social Structure. According to Engels, the nuclear family promotes inheritance and . Functionalists point out that, in the vast majority of societies, humans live in families and that in fact the essential form and function of those families remain quite similar: it is not simply a feature of capitalist society. The family harms women more than the working class, as there are gender inequalities within the working class too. Although Marxisms system of government is considered as communism, it places an emphasis on human rights, with its foundation encompassing equal gender roles, health care and access to education. 2) The media and companies target children in their advertising who then persuade their parents through pester power to buy more expensive items. Families are encouraged to constantly purchase the latest products and services to appear 'fashionable' and show off their 'high' status to their relatives, neighbours, and peers. It is unlikely that overthrowing capitalism will remove patriarchy altogether. Thus, the nuclear family is only beneficial to capitalism and the ruling class. In the Marxist view the family is a part of the superstructure of capitalist society which operates not in the interests of society and all of its members equally but in the interests of the capitalist system and of the capitalist class within that system. 2. The division of labor was, for Marx, the very essence of all that is wrong with the world. Family relations, based on clear legal contracts, facilitate inheritance and therefore when rich people die it is their children who keep hold of their wealth. Under Marxism, you would have the freedom to have your own faith, but you would not have the freedom to practice it in a way that is organized. As is often the case, there are similarities between the functionalist and Marxist case: they both think that families perform important functions for the society as it is . Therefore, Marxism does not accept people believing in unscientific matters, and so people are . The basic principle of Marxist theory is that society is in constant conflict because it is divided into two social classes. 2 The Traditional Natural Law Theory: Strengths and Weaknesses The theory provides a clear understanding of procreation as an inherent gift important to animals and plants. This is called 'pester power'. Everything you need for your studies in one place. Subsequently, as adults, they can't get well-paid jobs and therefore are unable to 'move up' the social ladder and improve their circumstances. Ironically, when huge multi-nationals dominate the entire world economy, capital advocates would tell us that the future lies with small businesses or always state that Small is beautiful. Percussion instruments those that are tapped shaken or struck, include drums bells and xylophones. Provide some examples of the benefits of economic capital. Here are its strengths and weaknesses: 1. Talcott Parsons claims that the family has positive functions, such as providing a 'safe haven' and place of comfort for its members. Marx believed that there should be no ownership of private property because this reproduces social class inequalities and benefits the bourgeoisie. Marxist views on Family Marxists see the nuclear family as serving the ruling class (bourgeoisie) as it promotes capitalist values and discourages disagreement and criticism of inequality the way capitalism is organized. For Zaretsky, the family could only serve as a way of providing psychological support for its members when there is an end to capitalism (Tilly, 1978). The division of labor pits man against his fellow man; it creates class differences; it destroys the unity of the human race. This means that there would be no organized religion, which would affect prominent beliefs followed around the world, including Christianity and Judaism. However, with the emergence of Capitalism in the 18th Century, society and the family changed. Unequal gender relations existed before the emergence of capitalism, contrary to Engels' belief. For Marx (B. Brewster, Trans.). In line with this, Marxists state that the function of the family is to maintain the capitalist superstructure of society. Cheering for the oppressed proletarian majority has had, and still has, many . It helps with capitalism. Instead of seeing a consensual society which works to benefit all its members, they see a society based on class struggle, which works to benefit a rich minority. While you are given a place to live as part of a community and contribute to the common good, you will have no private property ownership, which means that you might not have much control over your residence and your contributions. The nuclear family serves the interest of the capitalist system in several ways: The family reproduces the next generation of workers that will be exploited as labour-power by the capitalist systems of production. Marxism is a structural conflict perspective. Bourdieu argued that this lack of economic capital prevents working-class children from accessing the same quality of education as middle-class children. We will look at a definition of a Marxist perspective before we consider Marxist perspectives on the family. The role of socialization in determining behaviour is recognized. If you are in doing business under Marxism, then basically, you would be working for the government, which means that are not going to work as an entrepreneur, freelancer or sole business owner because everything would run through the government. Nickerson, C. (2022, April 04). Answer (1 of 2): Family strength is completely trust and honesty. (1978). Overall strengths. Marx demonstrated how capitalism was able to grow through the exploitation of labor. Best study tips and tricks for your exams. Next, we'll look at American professor Eli Zaretksy's views on the family. Advantages. There is no weakness except communication gap. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. It limits opportunities for entrepreneurs. In Zaretsky's view, the family works in the interests of capitalism. (1948). Ultimately what this arrangement does is to reproduce inequality The children of the rich grow up into wealth, while the children of the poor remain poor. Basically, Marx was a communist, political journalist and an advocate for human rights, but his philosophyMarxismis a very important aspect in some of the worlds societies to identify. Psychoanalytic View. Stern, B. J. It socialises children into accepting capitalist ideologies and authority, which prepares them to accept control and exploitation in the workplace. Under the Marxist philosophy, communities will be working together to achieve success, where all people would come together to provide for each other, with the help of the government distributing resources as required. Its fundamental argument is that capitalist society is based on inequalities between the 'bourgeoisie' (ruling capitalist class) and 'proletariat' (working class). The nuclear family serves the interests of the capitalist system. What is the relationship between families and consumption? 3. Before capitalism, traditional and tribal societies were classless and did not have private property. Zaretsky, N. (2010). Introduction 1.1. Zaretsky claims that this economic function is a bourgeois ideology perpetuated to ensure families spend money and create profits for the bourgeoisie. They may be forced to leave school early due to poverty and/or the need for extra income. In essence, it organizes society under capitalism, where the bourgeoisie tends to maximize profit with the proletariat. Instead of smaller families, there were large groups of hunters and gatherers working together to survive. Althusser argues that the family, as part of the superstructure of capitalist society, socializes children into norms and values that are useful to the capitalist ruling class. they must create demand for their products. Create your account. 2. Positive. Simply put, a Marxist perspective is one that originates from the theory of Marxism. . It also ignores the other benefits that all family members may get from family life: the emotional support, comfort and generally the positive benefits. This means that the capitalist class can later exploit these children because, when these children become adults, they are more likely to view the power and authority of the capitalist class as natural. Marxian economics focuses on the role of labor in the development of an economy, and is critical of the . Capitalists/business owners want to keep workers wages down so they can make a profit, but to do so they must also be able to sell the workers goods i.e. View this answer. Marxism asserts that workers cannot unite if they are divided, and he talks in great deal about the plight of women. Marx gives society the knowledge and may pass on unknown information to the proletariat about their unfair treatment within society in comparison to the bourgeoisie. Strengths. He sought for the answers to how to live the best possible life and be a fruitful citizen who cares for others in the community. Is always good and happy. A family is a stable unit and institution that keeps society stable. Functionalists claim that the Marxist perspective of the family is overly negative. Able to work independently. Indeed, Marxists have done little research to investigate whether members of families actually do have this relationship with capitalism. There are two additional main factors that drive the family as a unit of consumption in the view of contemporary Marxists (Delphy, 1980): Families must keep up with the material goods and services acquired by neighbors and peers. In Marxism, there will be the idea that private properties and businesses should be abolished, which makes it impossible for anyone to take business advantage of someone else, giving him no reward for working. According to Engels, this reproduced and reinforced social class inequality. Here is also commentary on his ideas and cites the mentioned texts. teachers, employers and the state. 2002-2023 Tutor2u Limited. It was a "proto-Marxism" suitable for criticizing positivist psychiatry but not for engaging in social change on a large scale. Engels The Emergence of the Nuclear Family, A Level Sociology Families and Households Revision Bundle, AS Sociology Families and Households Revision Bundle, We start with an overview of the Marxist perspective in general, Engels theory of the emergence of the nuclear family. Cite evidence from the text to support your response. Thompson, K. (2014). Sharing the same table: consumption and the family. This means that Engels believed that anyone could have sexual relations with anyone else in the tribal group, and multiple partners (Stern, 1948). Strengths and weaknesses of the functionalist approach to society Pages: 2 (371 words) Functionalist theory of crime and . In such societies, property was collectively owned, and the family structure reflected this there were no families as such, but tribal groups existed in a kind of promiscuous horde in which there were no restrictions on sexual relationships.Hunter-gatherer societies promiscuous hordes? In his vision of a classless world, there are equal gender roles, ethnicity, racism, and discrimination. Despite some experiments with communal living and alternative households immediately after the Russian Revolution, people have continued to live in family groups in communist countries too. Marx also gives people of lower social class confidence and hope in trying to overthrow capitalism by standing up for their human rights. Create and find flashcards in record time. The cushioning effect is similar to Parson's theory of the Warm Bath, in that the family acts as a relief from social stress and tension. Lenin and philosophy and other essays (B. Brewster, Trans.). Therefore the family maintains capitalism because it prevents the proletariat from acknowledging its oppression and starting a revolution. Explain how you adjusted your reading rate as you read "Song of Myself.". 9essays/ essay plans spanning all the topics within the families and households topic. Functionalists argue that Marxists hold an overly negative view of the family. As you can see, religion would ultimately place one group in a superior role over the others, which goes against the equality principle of Marxism. There are significant amounts of advertising and TV programmes influencing parents in this way. The main weakness of the interpretivist approach when researching the family is the tendency to ignore wider social structure. It can lead to communism. Bourdieu argued that all of the above factors mean that working-class children have a 'cultural deficit'. Middle-class students are more likely to have positive experiences and higher expectations of education, e.g. Strengths of Marxism: The first critical theory which explains the huge and persistent inequalities in society. Thus, the nuclear family served to benefit the bourgeois more than the proletariat. Although historically the Marxist paradigm went into eclipse during the early twentieth century, the field has developed rapidly during recent years. , suggesting that it is functional and chosen by families. https://simplysociology.com/functions-of-the-family-marxism.html, Althusser, L. (1969). Although Marxism's system of government is considered as communism, it places an emphasis on human rights, with its foundation encompassing equal gender roles, health care and access to education. This weakness benefits the boss. This type of feminism is based on the understandings of Marxism, proposed by Karl Marx and collaborator Friedrich Engels in the 19th century. Zaretsky argues that through the family, proletariat children are socialised to accept and embody norms and values that uphold capitalism. The Bourgeoise gain their wealth from exploiting the proletariat. Strengths and Weaknesses of Symbiotic Interactionism. Marxists believe that the ruling classes, known as the bourgeoisie, use the different institutions in society to maintain their position . Additionally, false needs can encompass anything people may buy to give a sense of social status, or something that people buy or do to give themselves or their children an advantage in an artificially unequal world. This does not consider the possibility that proletariat parents and children may actively resist this process (Thompson, 2014). We can read more about Marxist perspectives on the family below. This is just as important for an understanding of Marx as are The Communist Manifesto and Das Kapital. 5. Criticisms of the Marxist view of the family. This is because it does not take into account the essential greediness and selfishness of the human being. Science & Society, 42-64. There are plenty of families who reject the consumerist lifestyle and many families bring their children up to be independent thinkers. We will do this by considering criticisms generally, and criticisms from other structural theories. Which type of theorist is Talcott Parsons and how does he disagree with the Marxist perspective on the family? Third, I think Marx illustrates the complementary nature of the strengths and weaknesses within a theory. See full answer below. The nuclear family is a common family type found universally, suggesting that it is functional and chosen by families. Before reading this post, you might like to look at this summary of the key ideas of Marxism. Nie wieder prokastinieren mit unseren Lernerinnerungen. What are disadvantages of Marxist perspective of family? Interactionists, meanwhile, are critical of Marxism because they believe that Marxists ignore the meanings families have for individuals (Brown, 2012). For others, such as Marxists, families are the mark of an unequal society. Marxism ignores the benefits of nuclear family e.g. Now that we have outlined the general thesis of Marxism, let us consider the Marxist perspectives on the family. A steady job can be a positive unless the . (Original work published 1965), Althusser, L. (1971). Strengths and Weaknesses of the Functionalist View on Society Functionalism is a consensus perspective, whereby society is based on shared values and norms into which members are socialised. Fascism is a kind of government system which is approximately opposite of democracy. maintain capitalism and reinforce Or your coParent may remarry someone of another faith. In Marxism, the bourgeoisie gain their wealth through exploiting the labor of the proletariat. He argued that we went from an age of primitive communism to capitalism through the establishment of family norms such as private ownership and inheritance, and this was done through the oppression of women. Feminists argue that Marxists focus too much on social class inequalities whilst disregarding the role of the family in maintaining. Marxist studies of medical care emphasize political power and economic dominance in capitalist society. Not everyone conforms to or accepts the values of capitalism. Such demands are created through targeted advertising from companies. aspiring to university education, due to their parents' own positive experiences. Along with the creation of social class inequalities, Engels claimed that the nuclear family also created gender inequality as men took control of women's sexuality and labour to reproduce and raise the next generations. Earn points, unlock badges and level up while studying. There is the belief that women are oppressed and/or disadvantaged by various social institutions. Marxists see the role of the family quite differently to that of functionalists. He emphasised the ideological functions of the family. This allows individuals to pursue goals by attaining to the rules and by . Stop procrastinating with our study reminders. This includes access to private education and tutors, enriching school trips, and computers or laptops. Worth noting that Capitalist power structures and labour relations are foreign concepts to early humans, so it reproducing capitalist power structures are necessary in order to hijack ones human nature per se (pre-agricultural societies were largely collective), therefore rationalizing it or conditioning consumers. We'll start by looking at German philosopher Friedrich Engels' views on the family. The Marxist feminist position is further enhanced by Fran Ansley (1972) she grabs hold of Parsons' view of the family as functioning to stabilise adult personalities and turns into Marxist idea. We will look at the key terms presented by each Marxist. "Man," he wrote in the Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844, The point of departure of human history is therefore . Next, we will look at several Marxist perspectives, including those of Engels, Zaretsky, Bourdieu and Althusser. Zaretsky was interested in psychology, and specifically the idea that the family can perform a psychological function. Marxism is a conflict perspective in the family that argues that the working-class, the proletariat, is exploited by the capitalist class, who profit off of their labor. In Book 1, lines 504-524, what does Phoebus say to Daphne to try fto persuade her to stop running away from him? 2 Pages. Brill. Other than social class inequality, which other type of inequality was created by capitalism according to Engels? The Bourgeoise gain their wealth from exploiting the . (b) What new insight did slower reading help you gain? Whilst functionalists see the family as a positive, harmonious unit, Marxists see the family as a reason for social class inequalities in capitalist society. Instead, property was collectively owned, and this was reflected in family structures. how to respect and conform to authority; hierarchy is inevitable and there will always be someone 'in charge'. By challenging dominant views, the Marxists open up new areas of debate about class and power and their relationship to crime and deviance. Conflict theory is a general term coving a number of sociological approaches, which appose functionalism, and which share the idea that the basic feature of all societies was the struggle between different groups for access to limited resources. 1) Families must keep up with the material goods/services acquired by their neighbours and peers e.g. In order to sell the workers' goods, however, they must create demands for their products. Wealthy Capitalist economies such as the UK and USA have seen the fastest improvements in gender equality over the last 100 years. The family reproduces the next generation of workers that will be exploited as labour power by the capitalist system. The bourgeoisie, or capitalist class, used their personal wealth to invest in businesses in order to make a profit which they did not invest for the benefit of everyone else. 1. Within the family, this is usually the father; outside the family, it is teachers and employers. Conflict Theory. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of interviews, as a research method. Feminists argue that the Marxist focus on class ignores the inequalities between men and women, which is the real source of female oppression.. Which type of function of the family did Althusser emphasise? Functionalism is a consensus perspective, whereby society is based on shared values and norms into which members are socialised. Purchases parents make to give their family a sense of status to outsiders. Marxist approaches challenge the orthodox thinking of the time. Properties and resources were owned collectively. the functions of the family from a functionalist, Marxist and feminist perspective. Study notes, videos, interactive activities and more! If you look at the Marxist theory, it considers society as a whole, which means that it acknowledges all the social forces involved, including the power interests of different groups. Marxists explain the ideological role of families in society and suggest reasons people feel strongly about family structures, Marxism offers an explanation of why families first developed in society, Marxism points out the unpleasant aspects of family life and the inequalities of power within the family, Feminist perspectives have based their analysis on Marxist views, Engels doesn't cater for family diversity, Women are now generally in control of their sexuality e.g. (Original work published 1970). Therefore, its strength lies in upholding procreation and advises people to view procreation as an excellent and essential aspect of their lives. The family builds demand for goods in a number of ways. As is often the case, there are similarities between the functionalist and Marxist case: they both think that families perform important functions for the society as it is currently constituted. Thus, there is no material benefit for the family itself, only for the capitalist structure. The Marxist theory of crime has the benefit of a holistic view - it accounts for a range of deviant acts committed by people from different social backgrounds, with different motivations. . Marxists reject the functionalist view that society is based on value consensus and therefore operates for the benefit for all. Lassalle proposed reformism, that is, the view that socialism has to be brought about through democratic procedures, such as universal voting. These alternative conceptions of the family are outside of Marxist analysis of the nuclear family (Thompson, 2014). Overall weaknesses. We will now consider the advantages and disadvantages of the different Marxist perspectives on the family. Hard Working. The role and function of the family is to uphold the capitalist superstructure. (Quizlet . This is a complete mischaracterization of Marxism. Tilly, L. A. Marx and Engels believed that the monogamous nuclear family emerged from, and benefits, capitalism. Marxists such as Engels and Zaretsky acknowledge that women are exploited in marriage and family life, but they emphasise the relationship between capitalism and the family, rather than the family's effects on women. Feminist theory is a major branch within sociology. Feminists argue that gender inequality existed ____ the emergence of capitalism, contrary to Engels' belief. Abstract. Zaretsky claims that the family performs both an ideological function and economic function. Stop procrastinating with our smart planner features. Examine Marxist Views on the role of the family (30 marks) A key feature of the Marxist perspective is the belief that society is centred around an unfair class division which is maintained through Capitalism. It explains why there is such an uneven distribution of power and wealth between social classes. Gender-blind/neutral approach: Radical Feminism admits that there are dissimilarities between men and women, and society should change to value those dissimilarities instead of devaluing the "feminine .