The New Right theories
Since the following two key post-war developments, the functions of the nuclear family have been eroded.
1) The permissive society (emerged in the 60s) - the culture of individual choice and the concept of having children and getting married is and equal choice to alternative sexual relations and lifestyles - This has caused the decrease in marriage and increase in divorce - therefore The New Right condemns policies that make divorce easier (e.g. 1969 Divorce Reform Act).
2) The Welfare State - It provides perverse incentives of illegitimacy without having an income rather than being a self-reliant family. Welfare benefits are an incentive to not work, not marry and for women to raise children on their own with the children lacking a male role-model - dependency culture - The New Right argue this has resulted in the formation of an entire sub-class of dysfunctional families with absent fathers and welfare-dependent mothers that Charles Murray calls the underclass.
The New Right argue this has resulted in the formation of an entire sub-class of dysfunctional families with absent fathers and welfare-dependent mothers that Charles Murray calls the underclass.
The New Right supports the Child Maintenance Service which identifies absent fathers and ensures they pay child maintenance to support their families.
Patricia Morgan:
State as bread winner - providing benefits to workless single parents which is a financial incentive to separate or stay single because less is paid in benefits to two cohabiting/married parents.
State as child carer - policies such as Sure Start and increased nursery provision which encourages women to work rather than care for their own children.
She criticises the state for allowing high divorce rates which she argues is damaging for children.