marxism

• Marxism


  A sociological conflict theory that originates from the work of Karl Marx, which argues that capitalist society is based on inequalities between the 'bourgeoisie' (ruling capitalist class) and 'proletariat' (working class)
• Marxism


  • It is a structural theory, which means it believes societal structures shape individuals
  • Individuals are the product of social structures and socialisation
• Bourgeoisie


  The ruling capitalist class
• Proletariat


  The working class
• Marxists see each institution of society as performing the role of upholding the capitalist superstructure, which ultimately helps to sustain a capitalist society
• Family (according to Marxists)

  Its function is to maintain the capitalist superstructure of society
• Capitalism created the system of the privatised, monogamous nuclear family
• Nuclear family


  • Enables the bourgeoisie to pass down their capital and private property to their children
  • Reinforces social class inequalities
• How the nuclear family serves the interests of the capitalist system

  1. Reproduces the next generation of workers that will be exploited as labour-power

  2. Socialises children into accepting capitalist ideologies and authority, which prepares them to accept control and exploitation in the workplace
• Primitive communism


  An age where there was no private property and thus no social classes or private family units, with properties and resources owned collectively
• Emergence of capitalism


  The bourgeoisie began owning private property for the purposes of personal profit, leading to the establishment of the monogamous nuclear family to prevent property from being shared
• The monogamous, nuclear family structure became clearly advantageous to class hierarchy and inequality and therefore capitalism
• Ideological control in the family (according to Zaretsky)


  Proletariat children are socialised to accept and embody norms and values that uphold capitalism, such as the inequality between social classes being 'normal' and 'natural', and how to respect and conform to authority
• The family has an ideological function that upholds the capitalist superstructure
• The family as a unit of consumption (according to Zaretsky)

  The family serves an economic function by being encouraged to constantly purchase the latest products and services to appear 'fashionable' and show off their high status, creating profits for the bourgeoisie
• There is no material benefit for the family itself, only for the capitalist structure
• Ideological functions of the family (according to Althusser)

  The nuclear family is an imbalanced structure that teaches its members to accept imbalances of power in wider society, such as husbands obeying their employers, wives submitting to their husbands, and children obeying their parents
• The role of the family is to produce submissive individuals that will benefit the capitalist system
• Criticisms of Marxist views on the family

  • Functionalist criticisms: the family has positive functions, such as providing a 'safe haven' and keeping society stable
  • Feminist criticisms: Marxists focus too much on social class inequalities whilst disregarding the role of the family in maintaining gender inequalities
  • Marxist feminist criticisms: women are doubly oppressed, both by capitalism and patriarchy
• The Marxist perspective recognises the impact of the family on women and the poor, and acknowledges the influence of structural factors on the family
• Marxism


  Conflict theory based on the idea of inequalities between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat, with society in constant conflict between these social classes
• Marxism


  • A structural theory that believes individuals are products of social structures and socialisation, and that individuals are shaped by societal structures
  • Sees economic institutions of society as upholding the capitalist superstructure which helps sustain capitalist society
• Family (in Marxism)


  The main function is to maintain the capitalist superstructure of society, as capitalism created the privatised, monogamous, nuclear family due to the rise of primitive communism
• How the nuclear family structure enables the bourgeoisie


  1. Allows the bourgeoisie to pass down their capital and private property to their children, creating social class inequalities

  2. Reproduces the next generation of workers to be exploited as labour power by the capitalist system of production

  3. Socialises children into accepting capitalist ideologies and authority, making them accept control and exploitation in the workplace
• The nuclear family is only beneficial to capitalism and the ruling class, not to the family itself
• Primitive communism


  No private property, all properties were owned collectively and resources were shared
• Emergence of capitalism


  Led to the bourgeoisie starting to own private property for personal profit, and the nuclear family provided a way to identify an heir to pass this property to
• Althusser's view of the family


  An imbalanced structure that teaches its members to accept imbalances of power in wider society, preparing them to submit to authorities like employers, teachers, and the state
• The role of the family is to produce submissive individuals that will benefit the capitalist system of production
• Strengths of the Marxist perspective on the family


  • Recognises the impact of the family on women and the poor
  • Acknowledges the importance of structural factors on the family
  • Recognises the exploitation of the working class and proletariat
  • Is sympathetic towards the poor
• Criticisms of the Marxist perspective on the family


  • Too negative, ignores the positive functions of the family identified by Parsons
  • Too much focus on social class inequalities, disregards gender inequality
  • Feminist critique: family norms oppress women more than men, unequal gender relations existed before capitalism
  • Marxist feminist critique: women are doubly oppressed by capitalism and patriarchy, exploited for unpaid domestic labour and reproductive abilities
• Modern society is no longer dominated by the nuclear family, as family diversity is on a steady increase