Marxist Perspective on The Family

Marxists view society based on unequal conflict between two classes

• the capital class: who own the means of the production
• the working class: whose labour is exploted by the capitalist class for profit

Believe all society's institutions Education. Media, religion and the Government help matain class in equality and the class structure.

3 ways the family fulfill capitalism.

• Inheritance of Property
• The Unit of Consumption 
• Ideological Functions.

called the earliest classless society as "primitive" communism and there was no property. the mweans of production were owned communally. No family but a "promiscous horde" - Engels

As production developed so did societys wealth. Men emrged who secured the means of production and this change eventually brought about the patraichal mongamous nuclear family.

Engles view monogamy became essential because of inheritance of private property, men had be sure their legitimate heirs inherited from them. This caused the rise of the mongamous family and a word defeat for them female sex and female sexuality under male control and turn her into a mere instrument for the production of children.

Only the overthow of capitalism and private owndership will women achieve liberation from male control. Production owned collectively. No property passed down generations.

By ideology marxists mean a set of beliefs or ideas that jutify inequality and the main capitalist system by persauding people to accept it as fair, natural or unchangeable.

family does this by socialising children in to the idea of hierarchy and inequality are inevitable.Parental power over children accusatoms to the idea that there always has to be someone to be incharge of them and prepares them from accepting orders from capitalist employers.

Zaretsky the family also pefroms ideological functions by offering a apparent haven from harsh exploitation and the world of capitalism outside.

capitalism exploits its workers and makes a profit by selling their products of their labour for more than it pays them to create these products. targets family specifically

• Asks them to keep up with "Jonses"
• targets children with pester power
• children who don't have the latest clothes and gadgets are mocked and stigmatised by their peers.

Family only benfits capitalism

• Marxists the nuclear family is dominated by capitlaism but ignores the wide range of family structures we have today.
• feminists argue Marxists are converned with capitalism when they should focus on gender inequalities.- the family serves men not capitalism
• Functionalists argue that marxists ignore all benefits the family provides for the family and its members.