Marxist & Feminist Perspectives

The Marxist Perspective

Marxists see the family as serving the need of a capitalist society where conflict between social classes and opposing interests are part of its framework.

Capitalism

Marxism sees the family as reproducing, nurturing and maintaining a workforce to support capitalism.
Althusser views the family as an ideological state apparatus, passing on the acceptance of the ruling class ideology and damping down social conflict.

Inequality

According to Marxists, the family reproduces inequality and the transmission of wealth between generations and through monogamous marriage, keeping the wealth with a small number of families.
The family provides an escape route and haven from oppression and exploitation at work or, as Zaretsky points out, ‘the family is a private place where workers can be valued as individuals.'

Criticisms of the Marxist perspective

It’s out-dated, for example, people rarely marry just to pass on wealth to their children.
The family can be as much of source of conflict as can an escape route; this is particularly true for women.
Marxists paint a very negative view of family life, arguing that its purpose is simply to produce workers for the dominant ideology, whereas, family life can be harmonious and fulfilling.

Feminist Perspectives: Liberal and Radical

There are three main types of feminism: liberal, Marxist and Radical, all with a different take on how the family impacts the life of women.

The feminist perspective

Feminism emphasises the patriarchal nature of the family and the harmful effects it has on women’s power, careers and health.

Liberal feminists

Liberal feminists believe that the best way to remedy the adverse effects to women’s careers and power is by reform measures that enable women to make free career choices between motherhood, a career or a combination of both.

Liberal feminist policy

This change can take place by, for example:
- Avoiding gender stereotyping during socialisation.
- Implementing laws to establish equal pay.
- Preventing sex discrimination.
- Implementing equality in maternity and paternity leave.

Radical feminists

Radical feminists see the family as a patriarchal institution reproducing the inequality of women and benefiting men.
Men are seen to exercise power and control over women, sometimes supported with physical violence.
Men are seen to benefit from women’s unpaid domestic labour.

Radical and Marxist

Like Marxist feminists, radical feminists regard the family as an oppressive institution for women, linked to capitalist exploitation and patriarchy, which needs to be abolished.

Feminist Perspectives: Marxist and Criticisms

There are three main types of feminism: liberal, Marxist and Radical, all with a different take on how the family impacts the life of women.

Marxist feminists

Marxist feminists emphasise the way women are doubly exploited, both as workers in an exploitative capitalist system and as women in a patriarchal society.
The family is seen as meeting the need of capitalism and exploiting women through a number of pathways...

Capitalism and female exploitation

Through reproducing the labour force via primary socialisation and unpaid domestic labour.
Through social control, the demands of supporting a family and buying consumer goods keep people in unsatisfying, boring and unrewarding jobs.

Delphy and Leonard

According to Delphy and Leonard, the family acts as a safety valve, in that women provide a sanctuary for male workers through their emotional expressive work, helping to prevent frustration at work spilling over into unrest.

Criticisms of the feminist perspective

Women’s roles are not the same in all families, and today most women are in employment.
Changes in women’s roles give them more independence within the family.

Criticisms cont.

Many women can’t be described as victims trapped in oppressive relationships and they have more choice over the roles they take on.
More women than men initiate divorce.

1Theory & Methods

2Education with Methods in Context

2.1Role & Function of the Education System

2.1.1Introduction

2.1.2Functionalist Theories

2.1.3Marxist & Feminist Theories

2.1.4The New Right

2.2Educational Achievement

2.2.1Social Class: Internal Factors

2.2.2Social Class: External Factors

2.2.3Social Class: Attitudes to Education

2.2.4Social Class: Difference in Achievement

2.2.5Gender

2.2.6Ethnicity

2.3Relationships & Processes Within Schools

2.3.1Processes

2.3.2Labelling

2.3.3Categorisations

2.3.4Student Experience

2.3.5End of Topic Test -Education with Methods

2.4Educational Policies

2.4.1Equality

2.4.2Privatisation

2.4.3Marketisation

2.4.4Government Policies by Party

2.4.5Globalisation

2.4.6End of Topic Test- Educational Policies

2.4.7Practice Exam Question - Social Policies

3Option 1: Culture & Identity

4Option 1: Families & Households

4.1Families & Households

4.1.1Definitions

4.1.2Functionalist & New Right Perspectives

4.1.3Marxist & Feminist Perspectives

4.1.4Postmodernist Perspective

4.1.5End of Topic Test - Families & Households

4.1.6Practice Exam Question - Function of Family

4.2Changing Patterns

4.2.1Marriage

4.2.2Divorce

4.2.3LAT Relationships

4.2.4Child-Bearing

4.2.5Lone Parenthood

4.2.6Diversity

4.2.7The Sociology of Personal Life

4.2.8Government Policies Post-WW2

4.2.9End of Topic Test - Changing Patterns

4.3The Symmetrical Family

4.3.1The Symmetrical Family

4.3.2Evaluation

4.4Children & Childhood

4.4.1Childhood

4.4.2Childhood in the UK

4.4.3Childhood as a Social Construct

4.4.4The Disappearance of Childhood

4.4.5Child Abuse

4.4.6Domestic Violence

4.4.7End of Topic Test - Family & Childhood

4.5Demographic Trends UK

4.5.1Introduction

4.5.2Birth Rates

4.5.3Death Rates

4.5.4The Ageing Population

4.5.5Studies on the Ageing Population

4.5.6Migration

4.5.7Globalisation

4.5.8End of Topic Test - Demographics UK

5Option 1: Health

5.1Social Constructions

5.1.1The Body

5.1.2Health, Illness & Disease

5.1.3Disability

5.1.4Models of Health & Illness

5.1.5End of Topic Test - Social Constructions

5.2Social Distribution of Healthcare

5.2.1Social Class

5.2.2Gender

5.2.3Ethnicity

5.2.4Regional

5.3Provision & Access to Healthcare

5.3.1The NHS

5.3.2Inequalities in Provision

5.3.3Sociological Explanations

5.3.4Inequalities in Access

5.3.5Inequalities in Access 2

5.3.6End of Topic Test - Distribution Health

5.4Mental Health

5.4.1The Biomedical Approach

5.4.2Social Patterns

5.4.3Social Constructionist Approach

5.5The Globalised Health Industry

5.5.1The Functionalist Approach

5.5.2The Postmodernist Approach

5.5.3The Globalised Health Industry

5.5.4End of Topic Test - Mental Health & Globalisation

6Option 1: Work, Poverty & Welfare

6.1Poverty & Wealth

6.1.1Types of Poverty

6.1.2Types of Poverty 2

6.1.3Distribution of Wealth UK

6.1.4Sociological Theories

6.1.5Sociological Theories 2

6.1.6Distribution of Poverty UK

6.1.7End of Topic Test - Poverty & Wealth

6.2Welfare

6.2.1The Welfare State

6.2.2Theoretical Approaches to Welfare

6.3Labour Process

6.3.1Nature of Work

6.3.2Technology & Control

6.3.3Work & Life

6.3.4The Effects of Globalisation

6.3.5Globalisation & Worklessness

6.3.6End of Topic Test - Welfare & Labour

7Option 2: Beliefs in Society

7.1Ideology, Science & Religion

7.1.1Types of Religion

7.1.2Ideology & Belief Systems

7.1.3Social Stability & Religion

7.1.4Social Change & Religion

7.1.5End of Topic Test - Ideology, Science & Religion

7.2Religious Movements

7.2.1Religious Organisations

7.2.2New Religious Movements

7.2.3New Age Movements

7.2.4Practice Exam Question - Growth of NRMs

7.3Society & Religion

7.3.1Social Groups & Religion

7.3.2Gender & Religion

7.3.3End of Topic Test- Religious Movements & Society

7.4Contemporary Religion

7.4.1Secularisation UK

7.4.2Against Secularisation

7.4.3Secularisation US

7.4.4Fundamentalism

7.4.5Economic Development & Religion

7.4.6End of Topic - Contemporary Religion

8Option 2: Global Development

8.1Development, Underdevelopment & Global Inequality

8.1.1Development

8.1.2Underdevelopment & Global Inequality

8.2Globalisation & Global Organisations

8.2.1Globalisation

8.2.2Transnational Corporations & International Agency

8.2.3Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs)

8.3Aid, Trade, Industrialisation, Urbanisation

8.3.1Development: Aid & Trade

8.3.2Development: Industrialisation & Urbanisation

8.3.3Development: Environment & War

9Option 2: The Media

9.1Contemporary Media

9.1.1New Media

9.1.2Control of the Media

9.1.3Sociological Approaches: New Media

9.1.4Globalisation

9.1.5News Selection

9.1.6Moral Panics

9.1.7End of Topic Test - Contemporary Media

9.2Media Representations

9.2.1Age

9.2.2Social Class & Ethnicity

9.2.3Gender

9.2.4Sexuality & Disability

9.2.5Practice Exam Questions - Presentation of Women

9.3Audiences

9.3.1Media Theories

9.3.2Media Theories 2

9.3.3Media Representations & Audiences

10Crime & Deviance

10.1Crime & Society

10.1.1Functionalism

10.1.2Subcultural Theory

10.1.3Marxism

10.1.4Realism

10.1.5Other Approaches

10.1.6End of Topic Test - Crime & Society

10.1.7Practice Exam Questions - Social Construction

10.2Social Distribution of Crime

10.2.1Ethnicity

10.2.2Gender

10.2.3Globalisation & Crime

10.2.4Media & Crime

10.2.5Types of Crimes

10.2.6End of Topic Test - Social Distribution of Crime

10.3Prevention & Punishment

10.3.1Surveillance

10.3.2Prevention

10.3.3Punishment

10.3.4Victimology

10.3.5End of Topic Test - Prevention & Punishment

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