Theories + laws

Murdock

4 functions to the family

1) reproductive = have children

2)educational = teach values + norms

3)sexual = outlet for human sexual need

Parsons

2 functions to the family + believes Murdocks ideas are out of date

1)’warm bath theory’ - stabilisation of adult personalities - families provide emotional support.

2)primary socialisation - learn to walk, talk, eat also prepare you for secondary socialisation in school + work.

evaluation of functionalism

1) too positive + ignore negatives such as abuse + domestic violence

2)feminists argue only benefit men

3)ideas based mainly on nuclear family.

4) ideas outdated

Engels

family provides economic function - primogeniture(where oldest male inherits), this enables a small group of people to maintain wealth.

Zaretsky

place for workers to release frustrations over capitalism. capitalism makes people feel alienated so frustrated by their oppression.

-reinforced by marxist feminist Ansley who says ‘women are taker of shit.’

unit of consumption

families plays a role in generating profits for capitalism from buying stuff, families spend on consumer goods : cars, clothing, leisure activities + hobbies.

liberal feminists

believe that women are disadvantaged in the family. Disadvantaged in laws (divorce law). Also believe women end up taking more responsibility for house work

However.. they believe its changing, they call this the ‘march of progress’ by Wilmott and young.

Marxists feminism

believe WC women are disadvantaged through patriarchy and capitalism. They have 3 roles:

1)rear a healthy compliant workforce

2)be a ‘reserve army of labour’ - be employed in low wage jobs

3)’takers of shit’ from Ansley - women put up with agrgession caused by work.

Radical feminists

they believe that nuclear families is at the heart and perpetuates patriarchal dominance. They believe only way women can escape from this is to live in ‘matrifocal households’ (Greer)

Difference feminists

although society is patriarchal women will experience it differently depending on their class, age ethnicity and culture

problems with feminism

-fixated on nuclear family

-focus totally on gender and ignore ethnicity and class

-ignore violence towards males

-doesn’t acknowlege domestic violence in couples like same sex.