Marxism: Theories of the Family

Who are the 3 key Marxist theorists of the family?

• Engels

• Zaretsky

• Althusser

According to Marxists, what are the 4 functions of the family?

• inheritance of wealth & private property

• the cushioning effect

• unit of consumption

• socialisation, creating the next generation of workers & ideological state apparatus (ISA)

According to Engels, what is the inheritance of wealth & private property function of the family?

• the nuclear family allows wealthy men to confirm when a child is biologically theirs

• ensuring that men's wealth stays within the family through inheritance

• helps to maintain capitalism by keeping wealth within bourgeoisie families rather than being distributed amongst the community

According to Zaretsky, what is the ‘cushioning effect’?

• the family acts as a comfort from the stresses and strains of society

• maintains capitalism as it prevents the proletariat from recognising their oppression

According to Zaretsky, what is the unit of consumption function of the family?

• the family is targeted by advertisers to buy their products

• targeting children to use ‘pester power’

According to Althusser, what is the socialisation, creating the next generation of workers & ideological state apparatus (ISA) function of the family?

• the family spreads bourgeois ideology

• ensures the proletariat is in a state of false class consciousness

• the role of the family is to produce submissive individuals that will benefit the capitalist system

• the family is a key part of the socialisation process

• the family socialises the next generation into the ruling class ideology and the unequal social hierarchy

• maintains capitalism

• ensures the next generation accepts the ruling ideology as normal

What are some criticisms of the Marxist view of the family?

• ignores family diversity

• deterministically overemphasises the role of the family in maintaining capitalism

• ignores other inequalities (e.g., the role of the family in maintaining patriarchy)