Marxism views on family and households

• Bourgeoisie= the ruling class who owns the means of production and make profit by exploiting the proletariat.
• Proletariat= the working class who own nothing but their labour. They survive by selling their labour for the Bourgeoisie.
• Capitalism= the economic system where the means of production are owned privately and run for profit.
• Communism= A society where all citizens are equal and all of the means of production are owned by the state for the benefit of everyone.
• The family, like all other social institutions, act as an agent of social control in society.

  Maintains class inequality and presents it as the norm.
• Marxists believe the family is a tool of capitalism.
• Marxists believe the family does not perform a role which is beneficial for all individuals and families as a whole.
• The role of the family is to promote and protect the interests of the bourgeoisie and capitalism.
• Marxists believe the family serves three primary functions for capitalism:

  1. Inheritance of private property
  2. Ideological functions
  3. A unit of consumption
• Inheritance of private property

  • Industrialisation meant increased wealth.
  • This gave rise to the idea of 'private property'
  • Inheritance is a way to ensure wealth is kept within families.
• Ideological functions

  • The family socialises children in to accepting a hierarchy based on inequality which prepares them for work under capitalism; "parental power".
• Ideology is "a set of ideas and beliefs that are dominant in society and are used to justify the power and privilege of the ruling class."
• The family as a unit of consumption

  • Advertising; "keeping up with the Jones's".
  • 'Pester Power'; Children nag their parents to buy goods.
  • Children who do not follow trends or have the latest clothes, gadgets etc. are mocked by their peers.
  • Other institutions, such as media, create 'false needs' to sell products to families and maximise consumption.
• Criticism of Marxism

  • Assumes the nuclear family is the dominant family type; ignores diversity within families.
  • Ignores the idea individuals may be active and not passively accepting of bourgeoisie ideology.
  • Functionalists accuse them of ignoring the family can play positive functions, such as emotional support and stability.
  • Feminists accuse them of overemphasising the importance of social class and ignoring gender inequalities within family structures.