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Cheat sheet Like marxists, feminists take a critical view of the family. They argue that it opresses women, they have focused on issues such as the unequal division of domestic labour and domestic violence against women. They do not regard gender inequality as natural or inevitable. Liberal feminism- In terms of family they hold a view similar to that of ‘march of progress’ theorists such as Young and Willmott.
Although liberal feminists do not believe in in full gender equality which has yet been achieved in the family they argue that there has been gradual progress. Men more domestic labour. Marxist feminism- main cause of women’s oppression in the family is not men but capitalism. Women reproduce the labour force- unpaid domestic labour, women absorb anger- directed at capitalism, fran ansley (1972) describes wives as ‘takers of shit’ who soak frustration from husband, alienation and exploitation at work.
Women are a ‘reserve army’ of cheap labour- workers needed, can be let go when not needed. Marxist argue that women are exploited in the working class. Radical feminism- All societies founded on patriarchy rule by men, believe men are enemy source of women oppression and exploitation. The family and marriage are the key institutions in patriarchal society. Radical feminists would like to overturn the patriarchal system, in particular the family, the root of oppression must be abolished only way to achieve separatism.
Many argue for ‘political lesbianism’ the idea that heterosexual relationship are inevitably opressive because they involve ‘sleeping with the enemy’. Similarly Germaine Greer (2000) argues for the creation of all-female or ‘matrilocal’ households as an alternative to the heterosexual family. Liberal- jenny somerville (2000) radicals don’t recognise position has improved- better access to jobs, divorces and opportunities but somerville also believes women still need to achieve full equality.
Functionalism focuses on the positive roles played by different institutions of society, the main one being the family. Functionalism see family as a vital organisation in all societies, they are needed to meet basic needs. Functionalism stresses the positive role of the family, and its great importance for society. Functionalists argue that the family has essential functions which it must perform to meet the basic needs of society and its members. Murdock argues that this makes the family a niversal institution. In performing these functions the family links up with other institutions, providing future pupils for education, workers for the economy, potential governmental opportunities, and so on. Murdock argues that the family perform four simple functions; which are sexual ??? this is where you satisfy your needs with one partner, reproductive ??? this is where you reproduce for the next generation, economic, and socialisation ??? being able to socialise your children.
Murdock argues that the importances of these functions are so vital that they have to exist everywhere. Other sociologists such as Parsons argue that the family has to provide the primary socialisation of children, to ensure the safety of society’s culture and the stabilisation of adult personalities. The family performs VITAL functions of society, and for all the individual members’ A) Agreement in the judgment or opinion reached by a group as a whole
B) The nuclear family performs two essential functions for its members and for society as a whole which are the instrumental role for the men such as being the breadwinner at work and providing for his family while the wife shows the children the way of primary socialisation until going to nursery or primary school which will lead them to there secondary socialisation. The very basic functions that family perform as an institution are a) Socialization b)Reproductive and Sexual Functions c)Economic functions d)Identity and Social Status e)Emotional Security f)Productive function