Social Policy

Functionalism

Value consensus and social solidarity allow harmony in society

State serves the interests of society as a whole

Policies bring harmony and are positive

Sociologists provide objective, scientific info to the state to base their policies on

Sociologists are like medical researchers-after study find possible ‘cures’ in the shape of policy recommendations

E.gs of positive policies:

Sex discrimination act

NHS

Equality Act

Compulsory education

Factory act

Social Democrats

Favor major redistribution of wealth + income from rich to poor.

Townsend-Sociologists should be involved in researching social problems and making policy recommendations to eradicate them

The Black Report-about class inequalities in health and made 37 far reaching policy recommendations to reduce deep rooted inequalities. E.g Free school meals, improved working conditions, improved housing

Marxism

Society divided by fundamental conflict between bourgeoisie who own means of production and the proletariat wage slaves

Social policy serves the capitalist state and as such sociologists should be more critical of capitalist social policy to reduce inequalities

Provide Ideological Legitimation-Masks exploitation by creating a caring face-welfare state makes it appear they care about the poor, sick and old (E.g pensions, health and safety laws)

Maintain labour force for further exploitation and alienation-NHS keeps workers fit to keep producing profit

Preventing a revolution-when conflict intensifies and threatens stability policies like the welfare state after WW2 buys off the working class opposition

Radical Feminism

Men are direct oppressors of women, especially through the family (E.g maternity leave and free 30 hr childcare)

The state perpetuates female subordination through its policies-suggests the normal family is the conventional nuclear heterosexual family.

Favour separatism + political lesbianism to make women free of patriarchy (E.g of policy reflecting this=Women’s Aid Federation helps women escape domestic violence)

Liberal Feminism

There has been a march of progress in terms of policy closing the gaps of gender inequality

E.gs

Sex discrimination act

Equal Pay Act

Divorce reform act

Right to vote

GIST and WISE

New Right

State should have minimum intervention with its social policies as involvement in education and family robs people of their freedom of choice-undermines sense of responsibility

Oppose using the state provision of welfare to deal with social problems

Murray-Generous welfare state provides perverse incentives for people not to work-encourages inaction

For lone parent families (90% headed by women) these benefits cause a benefit underclass to develop and aids the undermining of the nuclear family

Leads to inadequate socialisation-antisocial behaviour, education and crime due to lack of male disciplinary figure