Create and find flashcards in record time. 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. Bourdieu claimed that the family reproduces social class inequalities in every generation through its children. Essay plan on the Marxist perspective on the family, Marxist Feminist Perspectives on the Family. Open Document. Be perfectly prepared on time with an individual plan. Consumer goods and services that signify a family's wealth and status include the best cars, designer clothing, expensive toys, and luxurious holidays. 1. He has been published in psychology journals including Clinical Psychology, Social and Personal Relationships, and Social Psychology. The Strengths and Weaknesses of Marxism. False needs can also include many of the products that people buy out of fear, or in order to make themselves safe, especially if that fear is engineered by the capitalist system in order to keep the population under control (Zaretsky, 2010). Nickerson, C. (2022, April 04). What was the basic principle of Marxist theory? Functionalists argue that Marxists hold an overly negative view of the family. This reinforces social class inequalities. Feminist theory is a major branch within sociology. Indeed Marx's argument for freedom had a propounding moral incentive. It can lead to communism. Or your coParent may remarry someone of another faith. Bertrand, Marie-Andre. , especially fathers, to prepare them to submit to authorities e.g. Before reading this post, you might like to look at this summary of the key ideas of Marxism. The strength of the new right is that it views the nuclear family into having positive aspects. As a result, the Marxist perspective does not give a full understanding of the role of the family. Conflict theories assume that all societies have structural power divisions and . The bourgeoisie owned all of the wealth and resources and passed it down to the next generation of rich capitalists whilst the proletariat, the working masses, had nothing. As a result, women would not be subject to male control for the purposes of reproduction. However, the emergence of capitalism, a system of private ownership, in the 18th century changed society and the family. Stop procrastinating with our study reminders. There is thus a conflict of interests between the Bourgeoise and the Proletariat. aspiring to university education, due to their parents' own positive experiences. Overall strengths. If capitalism is overthrown, women could be freed not just from the capitalist society but also the patriarchy. Feminists and Marxists say exploitation and inequality exist in many forms and that functionalism failed to acknowledge this meaning its views are outdated, which shows flaws in their approach and is therefore a weakness. Zaretsky believes that the nuclear family has several important functions that benefit the capitalist structure: imparting capitalist ideology, and acting as a unit of consumption. As a result, teachers may not value or assess them as highly as middle-class children. 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. This reinforces social class inequalities. Wives are taught to submit to their husbands, which creates unequal gender relations in society. Feminists would point out that sex inequalities exist within all families, irrespective of social class background. However, Zaretsky believed that the family allowed the breadwinner man to feel in control and strong, which they did not feel at work due to the oppression of the bourgeoisie capitalist class. Zaretsky believes the family performs both an ideological function and an economic function that benefits the bourgeoisie. and views individuals as too passive. Marx believed that there should be no ownership of private property because this reproduces social class inequalities and benefits the bourgeoisie. Marxism contends that education reproduces class inequality because the middle classes can buy their children a better education. This means that the family serves not only an ideological function, but also an economic function. Conversely, working-class children suffer from a lack of cultural capital as they may not have the same knowledge or attitudes about education or how to behave. 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. Able to work independently. It was a "proto-Marxism" suitable for criticizing positivist psychiatry but not for engaging in social change on a large scale. Other than social class inequality, which other type of inequality was created by capitalism according to Engels? There is no weakness except communication gap. Before Capitalism, traditional, tribal societies were classless and they practised a form of primitive communism in which there was no private property. with a focus on class conflict, other . Instead, property was collectively owned, and this was reflected in family structures. Assessment on Marx's Religious Viewpoints Recounting Class War in Society While depicting a kind of similarity indicating Marx's empathic religious views with that of Hebrew prophets, who brought in protest against religion having said that temple rituals followed by the priests as a means to sought for their own security and individual comfort instead of establishing . The Marxist perspective on the family focuses on the nuclear family and ignores other family types that exist in contemporary society. In particular nuclear family is seen as an ideological apparatus (Marxists believe that this is any institution that is involved in the transmitting of the ruling-class e.g . Instead they argue . Not everyone conforms to or accepts the values of capitalism. This is called 'pester power'. The family structure builds demand for goods in several ways. For example what is good in Marx is its wide scope; what is weak is that this wide scope may lead the researcher away from the details of the case; what is good is the focus on conflict and change but this very strength is a weakness if it . His thinking was initially considered neo-Marxist, following . Have all your study materials in one place. Its too deterministic it assumes people passively accept socialisation and family life, and that the future is pre-determined. Middle-class students are more likely to have positive experiences and higher expectations of education, e.g. This means that every person would be able to get access to the most important things he needs regardless of whatever he does, wherever he lives or how much he makes to provide a better living for those depending on him. Strengths and weaknesses of the functionalist approach to society Pages: 2 (371 words) Functionalist theory of crime and . According to Engels, the monogamous nuclear family only emerged with Capitalism. Females adopt a more ethnographic point of view when studying crime. The role and function of the family is to uphold the capitalist superstructure. The education system perceives middle-class values, experiences, and knowledge as superior and as a result, working-class children are more likely to drop out of school and miss out on opportunities. For functionalists, society is seen as a system of social institutions such as the economy, religion and the family all of which perform socialisation . "Wow," said Ms. Gage, "just listen to those African drummers!". Feminists argue that Marxists overlook the role of the family in maintaining gender inequalities. Learn how your comment data is processed. Identify your study strength and weaknesses. However, we can consider that the youthful phase of capitalism is gone beyond recall. Best study tips and tricks for your exams. Institutions generally work in the interests of the small, elite bourgeoisie class who have economic power or those of the much larger working class, or proletariat. Due to this, middle-class children are more likely to succeed academically and beyond. 4. The family is described as an ideological apparatus this means it socialises people to think in a way that justifies inequality and encourages people to accept the capitalist system as fair, natural and unchangeable. As it is believed that this philosophy never exploits workers by management, followers believe that unions are definitely a great idea. The division of labor was, for Marx, the very essence of all that is wrong with the world. This creates a false class consciousness. A family is a stable unit and institution that keeps society. Before capitalism, traditional and tribal societies were classless and did not have private property. In a communist society, there would be no need for a private family unit as there would be no private property. 5. Why? The strength of conflict theory is that it seeks moral ends: the emancipation of humanity from false claims of "universality.". Media and companies target children through advertising. With the emergence of capitalism, the bourgeoisie began owning private property for the purposes of personal profit. These children can then persuade their parents to buy more expensive items. 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. 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. Stern, B. J. Pros of Marxism. The health system mirrors the society's class structure through control over health . Functionalists argue that Marxists hold an overly negative view of the family. On the other hand, working-class children are less likely to enjoy such benefits and thus may miss out on work and educational opportunities. maintain capitalism and reinforce 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. Marxists believe that the family unit upholds capitalism and recreates social class inequalities. They also weaken the position of individual workers in relation to the boss. The traditional Marxist view on families is that they perform a role not for everyone in society but for capitalism and the ruling class (the bourgeoisie). People can be nurtured, supported, and have their individual needs met by the family. The family socialises children into accepting authority and believing that the exploitation is 'normal'. Marxism is a 'structural conflict' perspective. The Marxist theorisation of egoism in capitalist society provides a sound explanation for the existence of both working and upper-class crime. Conflict theory looks at society as a competition for limited resources. Evaluation of the Marxist Theory of the Family. 39). This means that they are both interested in how the family contributes to the running of society, rather than how individuals experience family life on a daily basis. 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. they do not wait for marriage before sex. 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. Limitations of Marxism: 1. According to Engels, this reproduced and reinforced social class inequality. 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. both parents support the children. This again ties in with Fran Ansleys Marxist-feminist perspective of women being the takers of shit. Trust is extremely important. Team Player. The New Right point out that this is the most functional type of environment in which to raise children, and the nuclear family is found in most societies around the world, suggesting it is something people choose. Feminists argue that gender inequality existed ____ the emergence of capitalism, contrary to Engels' belief. Organized. Weakness: The functionalist approach is too optimistic. 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. Its 100% free. Content is fact checked after it has been edited and before publication. The nuclear family is a common family type found universally, suggesting that it is functional and chosen by families. Feminists argue that Marxists focus too much on social class inequalities whilst disregarding the role of the family in maintaining gender inequalities. 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. It limits opportunities for entrepreneurs. The family reproduces the next generation of workers that will be exploited as labour power by the capitalist system. Because people need to feel secure and absolve themselves of their own guilt, Freud believed that they choose to believe in God, who represents a powerful father-figure. Sharing the same table: consumption and the family. Eventually the Bourgeois started to look for ways to pass on their wealth to the next generation, rather than having it shared out amongst the masses, and this is where the monogamous nuclear family comes from. Feminist perspectives have based their analysis on Marxist views. The support may vanish after you are divorced. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of Marx's analysis of Capitalism Marxism is a critique of Capitalism that had its greatest strength in its argument against human isolation and tyranny. If you think you are not being paid enough or being treated badly, a single person may well choose to walk away and hope that they can find better employment soon. I am doing a research project for my high school sociology course, and would like to learn more about this subject. 9essays/ essay plans spanning all the topics within the families and households topic. Whilst functionalists see the family as a positive, harmonious unit, Marxists see the family as a reason for social class inequalities in capitalist society. Zaretsky claims that the family performs both an ideological function and economic function. However, the weakness of the new right is that they are negatively influenced the government which makes benefits more difficult to get. Due to no fault of their own, working-class children miss out on cultural capital as their parents cannot offer them this advantage in the same way as their middle-class counterparts. Marxist-feminist Fran Ansley argues that men unload their stress and anger towards the capitalist system on women, which leads to domestic violence. According to Engels, the nuclear family promotes inheritance and . The conflict theory originated with German philosopher Karl Marx. The division of labor pits man against his fellow man; it creates class differences; it destroys the unity of the human race. Ultimately, however, this arrangement served to reproduce inequality. how to respect and conform to authority; hierarchy is inevitable and there will always be someone 'in charge'. Marxism creates a system of true equality, whereby everyone shares abundantly in society's wealth. Companies build demand for their products through targeted advertising to children, who request expensive products from their parents. It does also consider that if a person is ill they cannot attend to other aspects of life e. education, family. Thus the nuclear family benefits the Bourgeois more than the proletariat. Answer and Explanation: Become a Study.com member to unlock this answer! The importance of culture in structuring society is identified. The Marxist perspective ignores family diversity in capitalist society, the nuclear family is no longer the main type of family. It offers benefits to the society. Marxist ideas illustrate the power of the economy in shaping relationships and ideas as well as offering a solution or alternative to society. Marxists believe that the family is a tool Which type of theorist is Talcott Parsons and how does he disagree with the Marxist perspective on the family? (b) What new insight did slower reading help you gain? "Man," he wrote in the Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844, The point of departure of human history is therefore . It is the best way of guaranteeing that you are passing on your property to your son, because in a monogamous relationship you have a clear idea of who your own children are. They see society as structured along class lines with institutions generally working in the interests of the small elite class who have economic power (the Bourgeoisie) and the much larger working class (the Proletariat). EXAMPLE:"Wown" said Ms. Gage "just listen to those, African drummers!" Fascism is a kind of government system which is approximately opposite of democracy. The perspective recognises the impact of the family on women and the poor. Tilly, L. A. Positive feelings and associations with the family aren't necessarily always due to false class consciousness or subjugation; some women, for example, may genuinely feel fulfilled and satisfied with their role in a nuclear family. It is also the institution through which the wealthy pass down their private property to their children, thus reproducing class inequality. However, a counter-argument to that is that Parsons himself suggested that the nuclear family evolved to suit an industrial economy (as well consider in the next section) which could be said to back the idea that it is a feature of capitalism rather than all societies. Here are its strengths and weaknesses: List of Strengths of Marxism. Marxists Views on the Family There are three Marxists views of the family, Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels and Eli Zaretsky; they all see all institutions such as education, the media and the family as maintaining class inequality and capitalism. 1) Families must keep up with the material goods/services acquired by their neighbours and peers e.g. Marxist approaches challenge the orthodox thinking of the time. Why is the Marxist perspective of the family seen as overly deterministic? This weakness allowed antipsychiatry to degenerate into a This does not consider the possibility that proletariat parents and children may actively resist this process (Thompson, 2014). Lassalle proposed reformism, that is, the view that socialism has to be brought about through democratic procedures, such as universal voting. Marxist and Marxist Feminist Criticisms of Functionalist Theories of the Family. Workers who have families are also less likely to rebel against their bosses, such as by going on strike, because the loss of earnings could affect not only them, but also their dependents. Weakness. It is important to note that Marxist education implements one that is absolutely state- controlled, which means that it regards too much importance to the role of the state in education, which means that the methodology of teaching, curriculum construction and examination system would be determined by the state and it does not allow other agencies in educationlocal or regionalto have their say. The Marxist Perspective on The Family. 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. As a result, the theory can discourage immoral acts of abortion, which has . 5. 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. Communism is a possible occurrence in Marxism, as this philosophy is believed to lead to dictatorship. Marx's ideas were so influential that a third of the planet was ruled under his ideas in . Which type of function of the family did Althusser emphasise? The vast majority of tribes in Africa and Asia are patriarchal, with women being barred from owning property, having no political power, and having to do most of the child care and hard physical labour. As Marx felt that religion was used to control people, Marxism would not allow people to be free of choosing their spirituality. Abstract. That is to say, the family is an ideological agent, a puppet, of the ruling class. of the users don't pass the Marxist Perspectives on the Family quiz! social inequalities. The Bourgeoise gain their wealth from exploiting the . children do learn the skills necessary for lower status occupations-state schools tend to emphasize practical work and apprenticeships. Its fundamental argument is that capitalist society is based on inequalities between the 'bourgeoisie' (ruling capitalist class) and 'proletariat' (working class). We will look at a definition of a Marxist perspective before we consider Marxist perspectives on the family. The three men accepted that religion is a deception; since culture and location can impact religion so much . A nuclear family refers to a traditional family structure consisting of a two-parent family with one or more children. Children from wealthy families have the benefit of more economic capital from their parents and can therefore enjoy better educational opportunities. a spouse and children) that becomes a much more difficult decision. West Yorkshire, Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author and educational . Revision image. they do not wait for marriage before sex, Feminists argue Marxists emphasise to much on social class and capitalism rather than gender inequalities, Many families and individuals are aware of their exploitation but choose to ignore it, Marxists tend to assume the nuclear family is dominant in a capitalist society, Strengths and weaknesses of the functionalist, 10 marker Applying material from Item A, anal, Strengths and Weaknesses of The New Right vie, Psychology - Social Key Question (Abu Ghraib, The Language of Composition: Reading, Writing, Rhetoric, Lawrence Scanlon, Renee H. Shea, Robin Dissin Aufses, John Lund, Paul S. Vickery, P. Scott Corbett, Todd Pfannestiel, Volker Janssen, Byron Almen, Dorothy Payne, Stefan Kostka, Eric Hinderaker, James A. Henretta, Rebecca Edwards, Robert O. Self. An Integrated Multi-Level Approach. . The theory of religion attempts to explain its origin, how it functions, and its effects on the minds of every individual who believes to be religious. Marx on gender and the family: A critical study (Vol. For example, children learn obedience and respect for those in authority within the family. Through a set of norms and roles accompanied by the existence of a shared culture which is shaped due to the members of a society, social order is therefore achieved. This means that Engels believed that anyone could have sexual relations with anyone else in the tribal group, and multiple partners (Stern, 1948). According to Marxist sociologists, this family structure enables the bourgeoisie (the elite ruling class) to pass down their capital and private property to their children. There is not much research to suggest that the emergence of capitalism. This means that Marxists see society as being structured along class lines. 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. The reality is that matter by its very nature is inert and to regard it as living and evolutionary is incorrect. To go directly to the heart of the work of Marx, one must focus on his concrete program for humanity. In Marxism, the bourgeoisie gain their wealth through exploiting the labor of the proletariat. This article has been fact checked by Saul Mcleod, a qualified psychology teacher with over 17 years' experience of working in further and higher education. Univ of North Carolina Press. People are influenced to compete with each other through consumption. Within the family, this is usually the father; outside the family, it is teachers and employers. The Marxist perspective on the family is criticised generally and by other structural theories: More about Marxist Perspectives on the Family, Social Construction of Health and Illness, Representation of Social Class In The Media, Distribution of Wealth, Poverty, and Income in the UK, Theoretical Approaches to Welfare Providers. WEAKNESSES. , which creates unequal gender relations in society. For Engels, then, family is all about blood lines and proof of parentage. The last hundred years has also ushered in a diversity of family forms such as dual-career families, single-person households, same-sex couples, polyamorous groups, and so on. Marxism . The weaknesses of functionalist theory is that it tends to lead to exaggerated accounts of positive consequences of sports and sports participation however it mistakenly assumes that there are no conflicts of interests between the different citizen groups in society such as women, people with disabilities, racial 3. It socialises children into accepting capitalist ideologies and authority, which prepares them to accept control and exploitation in the workplace. We'll start by looking at German philosopher Friedrich Engels' views on the family. 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. The major weakness of Marxism is that it does not seem to work in the real world. It's important to consider the Marxist perspective on marriage, as it leads to the discussion about the status of women under capitalism. We can read more about Marxist perspectives on the family below. 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. This could include toys, tablets, and subscriptions to entertainment. This paper critically examines marxist and feminist literature on child protection, and identifies both their strengths and weaknesses.

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