#66 Social Policy and the Family

Social policies

Measures taken by states bodies such as schools, based on legislation introduced by government
Effects on family can be both direct/indirect
Direct effects - aimed specifically at family life e.g. laws on divorce
Indirect effects - policies on social/economic issues which also affect the family e.g. compulsory schooling keeps children economically dependant

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Functionalists - societies is based on value consensus, the state acts in the interests of society as a whole -> Policies help families perform its functions e.g. socialising children
Functionalists assume policies benefit everyone, which isnt the case i.e. cutting benefits
March of Progress - policies gradually improve family life e.g. welfare state or the NHS
New Right - oppose state intervention in family life, the nuclear family is natural and biological -> if parents perform their respectve roles properly they'll be self reliant... family diversity is damaging to children
New right believe welfare policies undermine families self reliance creating a dependancy culture
Murray (New Right) - interprets welfare as rewarding irresponsible behavior e.g. abandonment of fathers
BY CUTTING welfare it'll provide incentive for the breadwinner to work for their families
New Labour - it favours the nuclear family and it prefers means tested benefits rather than universal welfare -> HOWEVER its more accepting of diversity e.g. introduced civil partnerships and benefits targeted at the poor

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Feminists - social policies define family life in ways benefiting men by maintaining patriarchy, this subordinates women
Feminists criticised the New Right as attempting to justify the patriarchal nuclear family -> it is socially constructed
Land - policies assume patriarchal families are the norm, policies help reproduce this nuclear family e.g. maternity leave is longer reinforcing the expressive role of the mother
Not all policies maintain patriarchy, e.g. laws against **** in marriage passed in 1991
Marxists - policies serve the interests of capitalism e.g. low benefits for the old since they can no longer be exploited to produce profits
Policies affecting families often results from capitalisms needs...
-> e.g. in WW2 women were needed as a reserve army of labour so the government set up nursuries to allow them to work
-> the end of war meant women wernt required so these nursuries were closed forcing them back to being economically dependant on their husbands

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