marxist views of family

The Marxist theory of the Family

• very critical of the functionalist view that the modern family has evolved in order to benefit society.

• Marxists generally see the nuclear family as serving the interests of the ruling class because it promotes capitalist or ruling class ideology

Zaretsky 20th century Marxist ideas (3)

• family socialises children with capitalist ideologies

• Nuclear family stabilises the worker away from responding to oppression from the capitalist workplace (married men less likely to strike)

• nuclear family is an essential component of capitalism because it is the major unit of consumption.

Criticisms of the Marxist view of the family

Marxism is a structural theory, and fails to consider how individuals experience and interpret the family. Marxism may neglect the positive emotional and social satisfaction people get from the family

criticisms of Zaretsky views on the family

• fails to consider that some parents may resist ruling class ideology by teaching their kids values and norms of working class culture

• Some people are aware of the pitfalls of capitalism, but go along with it as they believe it provides a better standard of living than communism.