There are several competing feminist perspectives on family life, particularly the role of women
in the social institution. While most feminism agrees that women are oppressed within the
family, there are also stark differences in who benefits from the domestic division most and how
these inequalities can be rectified. This essay will examine three competing feminist
perspectives on the family: Liberal feminism, Marxist feminism, and Radical feminism.
Liberal feminists have pointed to the family as the key source of male domination and female
oppression. They argue that the family is a patriarchal institution that mirrors patriarchal society,
with women tending to be subservient in the workplace. They believe that patriarchy is not a
physical force but a form of institutional oppression. They believe that the law can be used to
rectify these gender inequalities, and when parity exists in wider society, it will eventually follow
that parity will exist within the family. However, changing the law is a very slow process, and
changes in the law designed to promote gender quality in society, such as sex discrimination in
1975, have been viewed by men as ineffective. Evidence suggests that women are still paid
less than men and have fewer chances of promotion in the workplace.
Marxist feminists reject many liberal feminists' ideas, arguing that patriarchy is a form of
exploitation and oppression of women generated by capitalism. Bentsen argues that the
traditional division of labour within the home benefits capitalism in several ways, such as being
cost-effective to capitalism, providing a reserve army of labour, and meeting all the needs of
men. Women in their supporting role are like ‘sponges', absorbing the frustrations and anger of
their husbands caused by working within the capitalist system.
An alternative feminist perspective on the family and marriage is put forward by radical
feminists. While Marxist feminists argue that capitalism is the main beneficiary of the traditional
division of labour within the home, radical feminists argue that it is the family who benefits first
and foremost. Delphi and Leonard argue that the family has a central role in maintaining
patriarchy, with women being oppressed by men and this oppression stems from unequal labour
relations within the home. They argue that there are two roles within the family: one is the head
of household, usually taken by the male, and the other is that of a 'dependent', usually taken by
the wife who is at least semi-subordinate and owes her husband obedience and respect.
Functionalists like Wilmot and Young would not agree with the radical feminist position or any
feminist perspective of the family. They point to research conducted in Port Talbot where men
were made redundant and found that even though the men were home all day, they still did very
little in the way of housework. For Delphi and Leonard, it is not capitalism which benefits most
from the traditional division of labour, but men.
Delphi and Leonard can be criticized for ignoring family diversity and for using unrepresentative
data. Many studies, including the research by Bott, have found that there is more equality in
terms of the domestic division of labour within middle-class families. In conclusion, while there
are similarities between liberal and Marxist feminist perspectives on family life, there are also
significant differences in who benefits from the traditional division of labour and how these
inequalities can be rectified.
in the social institution. While most feminism agrees that women are oppressed within the
family, there are also stark differences in who benefits from the domestic division most and how
these inequalities can be rectified. This essay will examine three competing feminist
perspectives on the family: Liberal feminism, Marxist feminism, and Radical feminism.
Liberal feminists have pointed to the family as the key source of male domination and female
oppression. They argue that the family is a patriarchal institution that mirrors patriarchal society,
with women tending to be subservient in the workplace. They believe that patriarchy is not a
physical force but a form of institutional oppression. They believe that the law can be used to
rectify these gender inequalities, and when parity exists in wider society, it will eventually follow
that parity will exist within the family. However, changing the law is a very slow process, and
changes in the law designed to promote gender quality in society, such as sex discrimination in
1975, have been viewed by men as ineffective. Evidence suggests that women are still paid
less than men and have fewer chances of promotion in the workplace.
Marxist feminists reject many liberal feminists' ideas, arguing that patriarchy is a form of
exploitation and oppression of women generated by capitalism. Bentsen argues that the
traditional division of labour within the home benefits capitalism in several ways, such as being
cost-effective to capitalism, providing a reserve army of labour, and meeting all the needs of
men. Women in their supporting role are like ‘sponges', absorbing the frustrations and anger of
their husbands caused by working within the capitalist system.
An alternative feminist perspective on the family and marriage is put forward by radical
feminists. While Marxist feminists argue that capitalism is the main beneficiary of the traditional
division of labour within the home, radical feminists argue that it is the family who benefits first
and foremost. Delphi and Leonard argue that the family has a central role in maintaining
patriarchy, with women being oppressed by men and this oppression stems from unequal labour
relations within the home. They argue that there are two roles within the family: one is the head
of household, usually taken by the male, and the other is that of a 'dependent', usually taken by
the wife who is at least semi-subordinate and owes her husband obedience and respect.
Functionalists like Wilmot and Young would not agree with the radical feminist position or any
feminist perspective of the family. They point to research conducted in Port Talbot where men
were made redundant and found that even though the men were home all day, they still did very
little in the way of housework. For Delphi and Leonard, it is not capitalism which benefits most
from the traditional division of labour, but men.
Delphi and Leonard can be criticized for ignoring family diversity and for using unrepresentative
data. Many studies, including the research by Bott, have found that there is more equality in
terms of the domestic division of labour within middle-class families. In conclusion, while there
are similarities between liberal and Marxist feminist perspectives on family life, there are also
significant differences in who benefits from the traditional division of labour and how these
inequalities can be rectified.
