social policy

• social policies is an attempt by government to deal with a social problem or to ensure social needs, such as jobs, benefits and a happy family life are achieved.
• social policies aim to change, regulate and improve social conditions, and prevent social problems.
• families are a key institution and there are many social policies dedicated to protecting families and improving their quality of life.
• in families and households, social policies fall in to two categories:

  • direct policies
  • indirect policies
• direct policies

  these policies are directly aimed at the family and family life, and have a direct effect on household structures.

  • The child benefits Act 1975
  • The abortion act 1967
• indirect policies

  these policies aimed at social and economic issues, but will also affect the family and household structures

  • equality act 2010
  • equal pay act 1970
• EQUALITY ACT 2010, EQUAL PAY ACT 1970 AND SEX DISCRIMINATION ACT 1975

  • these policies have led to equality for women in the workplace.
  • this could suggest women are more career driven in modern society and delay marriage and children which has a direct impact on family structure and family life.
  • women are out the home more this could lead to an equal division of labour in the home
• DIVORCE REFORM ACT 1969

  • directly linked to the breakup of the nuclear and symmetrical family and the rise of lone-parent and reconstituted families.
  • The welfare state means parents are likely to get increased financial support from the state.
• THE ABORTION ACT 1967

  • available contraception and abortion means couples can delay having children.
  • likely to lead to increased cohabitation
• FUNCTIONALISM and social policy

  • society is built upon and maintained through consensus.
• FLETCHER (1966)

  • social policies provide consensus and social order by allowing all institutions, including families, to perform their functions more effectively.
  • policies have gradually improved family life over time.
• fletcher

  • the NHS provides healthcare, improving the health of all society's members. ( THE BEVERIDGE REPORT 1942)
  • the education system ensures knowledge, culture, norms and values are transmitted from one generation to the next. ( THE EDUCATION ACT 1942)
  • social housing policies enable families to be provided with, or save money to buy a stable home.(THE BEVERIDGE REPORT 1942)
• FUNCTIONALISM

  social policies have collectively led to the development of the welfare state, which supports the family in providing its functions more effectively.
• EVALUATIONS ON FLETCHER

  criticisms from the new right

  • dependence on welfare -> arguing that state welfare policies encourage a culture of dependency, believe that too much state support, such as benefits for single- parent families, reduces individual responsibility and undermines traditional family structures
• EVALUATIONS ON FLETCHER

  support from functionalists

  • promoting social cohesion -> fletcher's view suggests that social policies can promote social cohesion by addressing issues such as poverty and inequality, thereby creating a more stable society.
• EVALUATIONS ON FLETCHER

  criticisms from marxists

  • reinforcing class inequality -> welfare polices can reinforce class inequality by providing just enough support to keep families from rebelling but not enough to address the root causes of poverty and inequality.
• EVALUATIONS OF FLETCHER

  feminist criticisms

  • Reinforcing Patriarchy: Feminists argue that social policies often reinforce traditional gender roles. For instance, maternity leave policies, while beneficial, can also reinforce the idea that women are primarily responsible for childcare. Fletcher’s positive view of state intervention does not fully account for how such policies can perpetuate gender inequalities.
• EVALUATIONS ON FLETCHER

  • Overly Idealistic: Critics argue that Fletcher’s functionalist approach is too idealistic and overlooks the complexities of how social policies impact different families
  • Ignoring Diversity: Fletcher’s focus on the nuclear family does not address the diversity of family structures in modern society. Critics suggest that his view may be outdated and not fully reflective of the challenges faced by non-traditional families.
• MARXISM AND SOCIAL POLICY

  • the state is part of the superstructure; social policies are a way for the bourgeoise to promote their ideology, and maintain social control.
  • the education system transmits knowledge and skills for work, and socialises individuals in to behaviour such as discipline and obedience. This ensure they are educated enough and compliant enough to be both worked and exploited under capitalism.
• MARXISM

  • social policies create the appearance the state cares for the working class, reducing the chances of the working entering class consciousness and starting a revolution .
  • social policies provide ideological legitimisation to mask capitalist exploitation.
• THE NEW RIGHT

  murray (1984)

  • social policies lead to a culture of dependency and reward anti-social behaviour- 'perverse incentives'
  • -> teenage girls get pregnant and rely on welfare.
  • -> fathers abandon their children to the state and accept no responsibility for them.
  • -> men have no role models leading to deviancy
• MURRAY- the new right

  • an 'underclass' is created which commit crimes and take advantage for the benefits system.
  • increased personal responsibility and the reduced intervention of the welfare state is the solution.
• MURRAY - the new right

  • the traditional nuclear family is the best type of family. A married couple with a clear, sex- based division of labour is the best type of family for providing its functions. This especially applies to the socialisation of children
• MURRAY - the new right

  • social policies have led to greater family diversity.
  • -> increased divorce and lone-parent families.
  • -> same sex marriage
  • ->council housing

  these policies directly threaten the nuclear family and are responsible for producing social problems.
• MURRAY- the new right

  • fathers see the state will maintain their children, and so they abandon them. This lack of paternal figure leads to increased deviance and crime among boys.
  • same sex marriage is not a nuclear family; it will lead to improper socialisation of children.
  • providing council houses encourage teenage girls to get pregnant and in an attempt to receive housing.
• THE NEW RIGHT SOLUTION

  • reduced state intervention
  • state policies have undermined the nuclear family and have allowed the culture of welfare dependency, among other social problems, to grow.
  • removing social policies which encourage this, and encouraging personal responsibility among individuals and families, will reduce the culture of welfare dependency.
• EVALUATIONS OF THE NEW RIGHT PERSPECTIVE

  • overemphasis on individual responsibility: the focus on self-reliance overlooks structural factors like unemployment and low wages. It is unfair to place the blame for economic struggles solely on individuals without considering broader social and economic issues.
• EVALUATIONS OF THE NEW RIGHT PERSPECTIVE

  • Romanticisation of the nuclear family: the emphasis on traditional family structures is seen as overly idealistic and may not reflect the diversity of modern society.
  • critics argue that other family forms such as single-parent or same-sex families, can also provide loving, supportive environments for children.
• EVALUATIONS ON MARXISM

  strengths:

  • offers a critical perspective on the states role in perpetuating inequality.
  • highlights how social policies can serve capitalist interests under the guise of public welfare.
• EVALUATIONS ON MARXISM

  limitations:

  • overemphasises class conflict and economic determinism. critics argue that not all social policies are designed with capitalist motives; some genuinely aim to improve welfare.
• FEMINISM and social policy

  • society is patriarchal; all social institutions, including the state and its policies, act as a form of social control to maintain women's subordination.
  • social policies are designed to maintain an unequal division of labour within families.
• FEMINISM

  maternity- 12 months

  paternity- 2 weeks

  • more maternity compared to paternity reinforces the idea that women are the primary caregivers to children, and men are earners and providers
• FEMINISM

  policies feminists identify as patriarchal include:

  childcare

  • childcare is expensive; working full-time is inflexible and incompatible with parenthood, and if additional childcare costs cannot be met, one parent usually the mother, will stay home and provide childcare. this restricts women from working, makes them more financially dependent on their husbands which reinforces patriarchy. women are the primary caregivers to children.
• FEMINISM

  policies feminist identify as patriarchal include

  care for the sick and elderly:

  • the state pays for some childcare, but families are required to fund additional care costs themselves.
  • working full-time is inflexible and incompatible with providing full-time care, if costs are not affordable typically middle-aged women, will stay home and provide care. This restricts their income, career opportunities and financial independence= reinforces patriarchy.
• FEMINISM

  Land (1978)

  • social policies construct and reinforce the 'ideal' family.
  • social policies are created with an assumption of how the 'normal' family looks and behaves.
  • social policies are created for the patriarchal nuclear family.
• FEMINISM

  Land (1978)

  • social policies promote this particular 'ideal' type of family over other types, which then reinforces the idea that it is the 'normal' type.
  • -> becomes difficult for individuals to live in other family types because policies are designed to support the 'ideal' nuclear family.
  • -> A SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY.
• FEMINISM

  drew (1995)

  • 'gender regimes'- a way to describe how social policies in different countries can either encourage or discourage gender equality in the family and at work:
  • familistic gender regimes
  • individualistic gender regimes
• FEMINISM

  drew (1995)

  familistic gender regimes

  • policies are based on the 'nuclear family' and the traditional gender division of labour; little state welfare or publicly funded childcare.
• FEMINISM

  drew (1995)

  individualistic gender regimes

  • policies based on the idea of men and women as individuals; women are financially independent, and the state provides welfare and childcare benefits.
• FEMINISM

  drew (1995)

  • most European Union countries are moving towards individualistic gender regimes.
  • This will lead to greater gender equality in family roles and relationships, and a move away from traditional patriarchal family structures.
  • This is a criticism of the feminist argument- there is a trend towards equality and away from patriarchy.
  • supports the feminist argument, however, as it demonstrates social policies are social constructions, and society can change 'march of progress'