Sociology Revision Notes
Families and Households
Functionalism in the family
- Murdock= 4 functions of the family: sexual (satisfies sex drive), reproductive (new
generation is created), economic (2 adults pool their resources to provide for
offspring), educational (environment that encourages primary socialisation)
- Parsons= functional fit theory, function of family depend on society it is found,
nuclear family and extended family are key family structures, geographically mobile
workforce (people move where the jobs are, easier for nuclear family to move),
socially mobile workforce (ability for anyone to get a promotion or high skilled job,
easier for a nuclear family), two basic types of society: modern society and
traditional industrial society, primary socialisation, parents are allowed their childish
‘whim’ through their children, two irreducible functions of the family: primary
socialisation + stabilisation of adult personalities
Marxism
- Bourgeoisie vs Proletariat
- Karl Marx= society is in a state of conflict due to capitalism, wealthy own the means
of production and therefore exploit workers
- Frederick Engels= men could control children and women
- Zaretsky= family is a prop to the capitalist social system
- Poulantas= family is part of the ideological state apparatus used to control society
(capitalism)
- Family functions benefit capitalism:
- Engels- Inheritance of property= private property is inherited by the son of a
middle/upper class man. This creates patriarchal monogamous nuclear families
down generations. Led to the ‘defeat of the female sex’
- Zaretsky-Ideological functions= families socialise children into the idea that hierarchy
and inequality are inevitable. It justifies inequality and maintains capitalism
- A unit of consumption= family play a major role in generating profits e.g. up to date
with technology because not having things can cause bullying
Feminism
- Family is a tool of oppression
- The nuclear family serves the needs of men not women (unequal division of
domestic labour and domestic violence)
- Marxist Feminist= capitalism is to blame, exploitation at work and at home (by men)
- Liberal Feminist= recognises life isn’t as sexist as it was, work life is getting more
equal
- Radical Feminist= thinks men are the worst, women are better than men, life hasn’t
changed
The New Right
- Not too dissimilar to the functionalist view
Families and Households
Functionalism in the family
- Murdock= 4 functions of the family: sexual (satisfies sex drive), reproductive (new
generation is created), economic (2 adults pool their resources to provide for
offspring), educational (environment that encourages primary socialisation)
- Parsons= functional fit theory, function of family depend on society it is found,
nuclear family and extended family are key family structures, geographically mobile
workforce (people move where the jobs are, easier for nuclear family to move),
socially mobile workforce (ability for anyone to get a promotion or high skilled job,
easier for a nuclear family), two basic types of society: modern society and
traditional industrial society, primary socialisation, parents are allowed their childish
‘whim’ through their children, two irreducible functions of the family: primary
socialisation + stabilisation of adult personalities
Marxism
- Bourgeoisie vs Proletariat
- Karl Marx= society is in a state of conflict due to capitalism, wealthy own the means
of production and therefore exploit workers
- Frederick Engels= men could control children and women
- Zaretsky= family is a prop to the capitalist social system
- Poulantas= family is part of the ideological state apparatus used to control society
(capitalism)
- Family functions benefit capitalism:
- Engels- Inheritance of property= private property is inherited by the son of a
middle/upper class man. This creates patriarchal monogamous nuclear families
down generations. Led to the ‘defeat of the female sex’
- Zaretsky-Ideological functions= families socialise children into the idea that hierarchy
and inequality are inevitable. It justifies inequality and maintains capitalism
- A unit of consumption= family play a major role in generating profits e.g. up to date
with technology because not having things can cause bullying
Feminism
- Family is a tool of oppression
- The nuclear family serves the needs of men not women (unequal division of
domestic labour and domestic violence)
- Marxist Feminist= capitalism is to blame, exploitation at work and at home (by men)
- Liberal Feminist= recognises life isn’t as sexist as it was, work life is getting more
equal
- Radical Feminist= thinks men are the worst, women are better than men, life hasn’t
changed
The New Right
- Not too dissimilar to the functionalist view
