Applying material from Item D and your own knowledge, evaluate Marxist explanations of the role
of families in society today [20 marks]
Marxists argue that macro institutions govern social behaviour in society to maintain capitalist
society. Macro institutions, like the family, “perform a key role in maintaining capitalism” (Item D).
The family does this through 3 functions: allowing inheritance of property, acting as a unit of
consumption, and acting as an ideological state apparatus.
Marxist Engels argues that the nuclear family emerged as a direct result of capitalism. During
primitive communism, there was no private property; all members of society owned the means of
production communally. At this stage of social development, there was no family but there was a
‘promiscuous horde’ in which there was no restriction on sexual relationships. However, as the forces
of production developed, society’s wealth began to increase. This led to the development of private
property because the wealthy wanted to secure the means of production. According to Engels,
monogamy became essential. This is because rich men had to ensure the paternity of their children
so their private property could be pass down to legitimate heirs. The rise of the monogamous nuclear
family had resulted in women’s sexuality being controlled by men and women being seen as a ‘mere
instrument for the production of children’. Marxists suggest that with the overthrow of capitalism
and the private ownership of the means of production, women will achieve liberation from
patriarchal control. As well as this, a classless society will be established in which the means of
production would be communally owned. Therefore, society would no longer need the patriarchal
nuclear family. However, Functionalists would dispute this view of the emergence of the nuclear
family arguing instead that the nuclear family came about in response to the demand of post-
industrial society. Parsons functional fit theory explains how the family has evolved in keeping with
the needs of society at that time. In pre-industrialised society when families farmed the land, they
were typically extended, however after the industrial revolution the nuclear family emerged, creating
a mobile workforce who could easily relocate to wherever work was available in the factories.
Marxists also argue that the family acts as an ideological state apparatus that “plays an important
part transmitting ideology that helps to legitimise the capitalist system” (Item D). For example,
children are bought up with a parental figure that they are taught to obey. This teaches them
discipline, which will benefit their bosses when they join the workforce, but also teaches them that
hierarchy and inequality is inevitable. This makes them less likely to question their position as an
exploited proletariat when they go out to work, which benefits capitalism. Feminists have criticised
this argument, due to the fact that children are socialised into the idea that the people in charge or
at the top of the hierarchy are usually men. This demonstrates that children are being socialised into
gender specific roles in a patriarchal society. According to Zaretsky, the family also performs an
ideological function by offering a ‘safe haven’ to workers from the harsh and exploitative nature of
capitalist work. Ansley argues that by performing their expressive role, women become the ‘takers of
shit’. This results in women absorbing the anger men have towards work. Along with providing a
‘happy home’ for her frustrated husband, women also have to ensure that the children are looked
after as well as provide her body as vessel for the reproduction of the future work force. All of which
is unpaid labour for the capitalist classes. This reinforces the argument of oppression and levels of
inequality between men and women because of capitalism.
Marxists argue that “families support the economy” (Item D) by acting as a unit of consumption. The
proletariat are exploited for their labour making consumer goods in factories. These commodities are
then sold to the proletariats at a surplus value than they were paid to produce them. Marxists
believe that capitalism creates ‘false needs’. This includes items such as the latest clothes or
of families in society today [20 marks]
Marxists argue that macro institutions govern social behaviour in society to maintain capitalist
society. Macro institutions, like the family, “perform a key role in maintaining capitalism” (Item D).
The family does this through 3 functions: allowing inheritance of property, acting as a unit of
consumption, and acting as an ideological state apparatus.
Marxist Engels argues that the nuclear family emerged as a direct result of capitalism. During
primitive communism, there was no private property; all members of society owned the means of
production communally. At this stage of social development, there was no family but there was a
‘promiscuous horde’ in which there was no restriction on sexual relationships. However, as the forces
of production developed, society’s wealth began to increase. This led to the development of private
property because the wealthy wanted to secure the means of production. According to Engels,
monogamy became essential. This is because rich men had to ensure the paternity of their children
so their private property could be pass down to legitimate heirs. The rise of the monogamous nuclear
family had resulted in women’s sexuality being controlled by men and women being seen as a ‘mere
instrument for the production of children’. Marxists suggest that with the overthrow of capitalism
and the private ownership of the means of production, women will achieve liberation from
patriarchal control. As well as this, a classless society will be established in which the means of
production would be communally owned. Therefore, society would no longer need the patriarchal
nuclear family. However, Functionalists would dispute this view of the emergence of the nuclear
family arguing instead that the nuclear family came about in response to the demand of post-
industrial society. Parsons functional fit theory explains how the family has evolved in keeping with
the needs of society at that time. In pre-industrialised society when families farmed the land, they
were typically extended, however after the industrial revolution the nuclear family emerged, creating
a mobile workforce who could easily relocate to wherever work was available in the factories.
Marxists also argue that the family acts as an ideological state apparatus that “plays an important
part transmitting ideology that helps to legitimise the capitalist system” (Item D). For example,
children are bought up with a parental figure that they are taught to obey. This teaches them
discipline, which will benefit their bosses when they join the workforce, but also teaches them that
hierarchy and inequality is inevitable. This makes them less likely to question their position as an
exploited proletariat when they go out to work, which benefits capitalism. Feminists have criticised
this argument, due to the fact that children are socialised into the idea that the people in charge or
at the top of the hierarchy are usually men. This demonstrates that children are being socialised into
gender specific roles in a patriarchal society. According to Zaretsky, the family also performs an
ideological function by offering a ‘safe haven’ to workers from the harsh and exploitative nature of
capitalist work. Ansley argues that by performing their expressive role, women become the ‘takers of
shit’. This results in women absorbing the anger men have towards work. Along with providing a
‘happy home’ for her frustrated husband, women also have to ensure that the children are looked
after as well as provide her body as vessel for the reproduction of the future work force. All of which
is unpaid labour for the capitalist classes. This reinforces the argument of oppression and levels of
inequality between men and women because of capitalism.
Marxists argue that “families support the economy” (Item D) by acting as a unit of consumption. The
proletariat are exploited for their labour making consumer goods in factories. These commodities are
then sold to the proletariats at a surplus value than they were paid to produce them. Marxists
believe that capitalism creates ‘false needs’. This includes items such as the latest clothes or
