7. Government Policies

Feminism

While Liberal Feminists may see legislation and social policy as being beneficial to women and promoting healthy family structures, Radical and Marxist Feminists see social policy and laws as having a detrimental effect on women, reinforcing patriarchal structures and forcing them to remain entrapped in abusive marriages.

1. Name 4 laws that support feminism and 1 from the past against feminism?

Social Policies and Laws

• Marital Causes Act 1857(past) - Men could divorce women but women had to have proof of adultery. This reinforced patriarchal exploitation of women.

• Divorce Reform Act 1969 (modern) - has made it easier for women to divorce men

  -reasons do not need to be declared.

This frees women from abusive marriages.

• Equality act 2010- Women no longer discriminated in workplace/equal opportunity

• Child Support Agency 1993 - Forced men to take financial responsibility for their children

• Welfare Policy - No longer a cap of two children. Women can now access state financial support which alleviates the economic stress on them.

Radical Feminists:

- Child support isn't rigorously monitored.

Men still get away without paying child maintenance. This leaves women with financial burdens.

THE NEW RIGHT

Radical conservatives who believe that the traditional nuclear structure is the only way of ensuring stability and secure primary socialisation. Laws and social policy undermine this structure and threaten social stability.

1. Name 2 laws that support the New Right and 1 against?

   info • Vehemently against the welfare policies because they encourage lone parent families.

Social Policy and Laws

• Tax benefits for married people are a positive as they are an incentive for families to stay together.

• The Divorce reform Act - gave people easy access to divorce - undermines the sanctity of marriage. (Against)

•Child Support Agency 1993 - Made father's take financial responsibility for their children - they would argue this was a good thing because it keeps the focus on family unity.

Post Modernists

Family diversity is key to modern society and social policy has little impact on the family units because they are now so diverse. The laws reflect the changes that have happened naturally, rather than being the cause of change.

2. Name 2 laws that align with postmodernism?

2. Social Policies and Laws

   -Social policy increasingly reflects the growing diversity of family units within the UK. This includes

   • Civil partnership act 2004 - Gave same sex couples same rights as married couples.

   • Divorce Reform Act 1969 - reflect the growing individualisation of society.

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