Perspectives on families and social policy

• Functionalism:


  See society as built on harmony and consensus, and free from major conflicts. They see the state as acting in the interests of society as a whole and its social policies as being for the good of all. Functionalists see policies as helping families to perform their functions more effectively and make life better for their members.
• Functionalism:


  Fletcher: argues that the introduction of health, education and housing policies in the years since the industrial revolution has gradually led to the development of a welfare state that the supports the family in performing its functions more effectively.
• Functionalism:


  The existence of the National Health Service means that with the help of doctors, nurses, hospitals and medicines, the family today is better able to take care of its members when they are sick.
• Functionalism - A03:


  It assumes that all members of the family benefit equally: from social policies, whereas feminists for example argue that policies often benefit men at the expense of women.
• Functionalism - A03:


  It assumes that there is a 'march of progress': with social policies steadily making life better and better. E.G. Marxists argues that policies can also turn the clock back and reverse progress previously make, e.g. by cutting welfare benefits to poor families.