Marxism

Marxism is 'a theory which sees a basic conflict of interest between thise who own the economic institutions and those who are employed by them.'

Society isn't based on value nor does it operate so that everybody benefits from it.

Marxist view on the family

The family isn't necessarily a place of love and protection, but a place of exploitation and functions to meet the needs of the economic system (production of basic needs e.g. food and clothes).

Critisms of Marxism

- it ignores family diversity
- it rejects the idea of social structures. 

Karl Marx view society as a struggle between those who are in control and those who aren't.

Marxists believe that the functions of the family are performed pureply for the benefit of the capitalist system.

It is based on 3 main ideas:

• Inheritance of property (the way people inherited money helped capitalism)
• Ideological functions 
• A unit of consumption (the family buys and consumes a lot and therefore creates a profit)

CRITISMS

• Ignores the variety of family types - each family is different and runs a different way.
• Underestimates gender - feminists argue that patriarchy (male dominanted) is more influential, not capitalism.
• Functionalists argue that Marxists ignore the benefits of a family
   

Capitalism - based on profit, don't get the full value of their work.