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Functionalist view of the family
The Four Functions of the family
Murdock (1949): Argues that the family carries out four essential functions
that meet the needs of people and society:
Stable satisfaction of the sex drive - being in a monogamous
heterosexual marriage prevents the social disruption caused by sexual
promiscuity
Reproduction of the next generation - allows society to continue
Socialisation of the young - passes on the norms and values
Meeting its members’ of economic needs - e.g. food and shelter
The practicality of the nuclear family makes it best at fulfilling these four
functions, making the nuclear family universal
Criticisms of Murdock
These functions can be carried out by other institutions and non-nuclear
families
Marxists and feminists reject the optimistic view of the family
Neglect the dark side of the family.
The Irreducible Functions
The family may provide other functions such as welfare, military, political or
religious functions and these depends on the society of the family
The functions the family have to perform in society affects its shape - the
family type will fit the needs of society, known as functional fit theory
He argues that people started to move from the extended family → the
nuclear family as it met the needs of an industrial society better
Reasons why the nuclear family meets the needs of an industrial society:
Functionalist view of the family 1
, It is geographically mobile: it is easier for compact nuclear to move to
where there are industry opportunities
It is socially mobile: in an industrial society there is more room to break
away from you ascribed status; a son may end up having a higher
status than their fathers which could lead to tension so by starting their
own family social mobility is encouraged and they aren’t held back by
any obligations to their extended kin
this makes the nuclear family structurally isolated.
In a modern, industrial society the family has lost many of its functions
The family now specialises in performing two irreducible functions:
The primary socialisation of children - equips them with the basic
skills, norms and values needed in order to integrate into society
The stabilisation of adult personalities - the family is a place where
adults can relax and release tension
He compared the family to a warm bath
Functionalist view of the family 2
, 💸
Marxist view on the family
Marxists believe that the family has several functions that help capitalism to
continue
1. Inheritance of property - Engels
In a capitalist society the private property of the ruling class is the
means of production.
Society moved from a promiscuous tribe → the monogamous nuclear
family so that the capitalist class could ensure that their legitimate heirs
would inherit their private property
The rise in the monogamous nuclear family resulted in women’s
sexuality being controlled by men and women being turned into
“instruments for the production of children”
2. Ideological functions - Althusser
The family passes on a set of ideas of beliefs that justify the inequality
that capitalist society is dependent on
E.g. the family teaches children to believe that inequality and hierarchy
are inevitable
3. Safe Haven - Zaretsky (1976)
The family offers an apparent haven from the harshness of capitalism
Zaretsky argues that this is just an illusion as the family doesn’t actually
meet each others’ needs, they just prevent anger leading to a
communist revolution
4. Unit of Consumption
The family plays a major role in generating profits for the bourgeoisie
Advertisers urge families to keep up with their peers by buying all the
latest products
Marxist view on the family 1
, Children use their pester power in order to persuade their parents to
spend more
if children don’t have the latest cool items they get bullied by their
peers
Criticisms of Marxist perspective
Ignores family diversity
Feminists argue that they undermine the importance of gender inequality
within the family
Feminists also argue that the family primarily serves men rather than
capitalism
They ignore the benefits of the family
Marxist view on the family 2
Functionalist view of the family
The Four Functions of the family
Murdock (1949): Argues that the family carries out four essential functions
that meet the needs of people and society:
Stable satisfaction of the sex drive - being in a monogamous
heterosexual marriage prevents the social disruption caused by sexual
promiscuity
Reproduction of the next generation - allows society to continue
Socialisation of the young - passes on the norms and values
Meeting its members’ of economic needs - e.g. food and shelter
The practicality of the nuclear family makes it best at fulfilling these four
functions, making the nuclear family universal
Criticisms of Murdock
These functions can be carried out by other institutions and non-nuclear
families
Marxists and feminists reject the optimistic view of the family
Neglect the dark side of the family.
The Irreducible Functions
The family may provide other functions such as welfare, military, political or
religious functions and these depends on the society of the family
The functions the family have to perform in society affects its shape - the
family type will fit the needs of society, known as functional fit theory
He argues that people started to move from the extended family → the
nuclear family as it met the needs of an industrial society better
Reasons why the nuclear family meets the needs of an industrial society:
Functionalist view of the family 1
, It is geographically mobile: it is easier for compact nuclear to move to
where there are industry opportunities
It is socially mobile: in an industrial society there is more room to break
away from you ascribed status; a son may end up having a higher
status than their fathers which could lead to tension so by starting their
own family social mobility is encouraged and they aren’t held back by
any obligations to their extended kin
this makes the nuclear family structurally isolated.
In a modern, industrial society the family has lost many of its functions
The family now specialises in performing two irreducible functions:
The primary socialisation of children - equips them with the basic
skills, norms and values needed in order to integrate into society
The stabilisation of adult personalities - the family is a place where
adults can relax and release tension
He compared the family to a warm bath
Functionalist view of the family 2
, 💸
Marxist view on the family
Marxists believe that the family has several functions that help capitalism to
continue
1. Inheritance of property - Engels
In a capitalist society the private property of the ruling class is the
means of production.
Society moved from a promiscuous tribe → the monogamous nuclear
family so that the capitalist class could ensure that their legitimate heirs
would inherit their private property
The rise in the monogamous nuclear family resulted in women’s
sexuality being controlled by men and women being turned into
“instruments for the production of children”
2. Ideological functions - Althusser
The family passes on a set of ideas of beliefs that justify the inequality
that capitalist society is dependent on
E.g. the family teaches children to believe that inequality and hierarchy
are inevitable
3. Safe Haven - Zaretsky (1976)
The family offers an apparent haven from the harshness of capitalism
Zaretsky argues that this is just an illusion as the family doesn’t actually
meet each others’ needs, they just prevent anger leading to a
communist revolution
4. Unit of Consumption
The family plays a major role in generating profits for the bourgeoisie
Advertisers urge families to keep up with their peers by buying all the
latest products
Marxist view on the family 1
, Children use their pester power in order to persuade their parents to
spend more
if children don’t have the latest cool items they get bullied by their
peers
Criticisms of Marxist perspective
Ignores family diversity
Feminists argue that they undermine the importance of gender inequality
within the family
Feminists also argue that the family primarily serves men rather than
capitalism
They ignore the benefits of the family
Marxist view on the family 2
