Marxist view of the family

overall idea

Marxists see the family as a tool used by capitalism to benefit the ruling class (bourgeoisie) and oppress the working class (proletariat). The family helps maintain class inequality, passes down wealth, and socialises children into capitalist norms.

Friedrich angles - inheritance of private property

• in early classless societies, there was no private property and people lived in tribal groups.

• As capitalism developed, property became privately owned, mainly by men.

• To pass this wealth on, men needed to know who their children were → this led to the rise of the monogamous nuclear family.

• The family became a way to control women’s sexuality and ensure legitimate heirs.

• Engels called the family a tool for the inheritance of private property, helping the rich stay rich by passing on wealth through generations.

criticism - Feminists argue Engels ignores women’s experiences and gender inequality.

• His theory is too historical and based on assumptions about prehistoric societies.

zaretsky - Family as an Escape and a Tool for Capitalism

• Unit of consumption:

  • Families are key consumers in capitalist society (e.g. buying goods, raising children as future workers).

  • Capitalism profits from families constantly spending money — e.g. on toys, tech, school supplies.

• Emotional support for workers:

  • The family gives workers a ‘safe haven’ from exploitation at work.

  • This helps them cope with the stress of capitalism — and return to work each day.

  • But Zaretsky argues this support is an illusion because the family cannot fix the root cause: capitalist exploitation.

• Reproduces labour power:

  • Families produce and raise the next generation of obedient workers, often without being paid (e.g. through unpaid domestic labour).

critisisms: Idealises the idea of the family as a “refuge” — this ignores domestic abuse or unhappy families.

• Feminists argue he ignores the gendered nature of domestic labour, which mostly falls on women.

Althusser - ideological state apparatus

• Althusser, a Neo-Marxist, said the family is part of the Ideological State Apparatus (ISA), which maintains capitalism through ideas rather than force.

• The family teaches capitalist ideology, such as obedience, discipline, and respect for authority. - preparing them for there roles in the capitalist system

• Children are socialised to accept inequality as normal, so they become compliant workers.

• This benefits capitalism because it creates passive, obedient citizens who don’t question the system.

🧠 The family plays a key role in reproducing the conditions needed for capitalism to survive.

• criticisms - Althusser's theory is very structural — it ignores people’s individual choices and emotions.

• He sees the family as just a tool of ideology, but many people experience family life in more meaningful, emotional ways.

evaluation points

• 🔺 Feminists: Marxists focus on class but ignore patriarchy and gender roles in the family.

• 🔺 Functionalists: Argue Marxists ignore the positive functions of the family (e.g. support, stability).

• 🔺 Postmodernists: Say Marxist views are outdated — families today are too diverse to be explained by a single theory.

family maintains capitalism through:

• alienation - using family as a haven - working-class men are more likely likely to accept oppression in wider society

• Women’s domestic work - women raise children installing the capitalist ideology in them by a young age

• unit of consumption