The nature and role of family in society - feminism

Family exploits and oppresses women.

Marxist feminists - exploitation of women essential to capitalism. Reproduces and cares for next generation of workers. Housework unpaid. Benston - housework, minimum wage, damage to capitalist system. Ansley - men, frustration, women, challenging capitalist system.

Radical Feminists - housework exploitation of women, not fault of capitalist sysem. Domination of men. Delphy & Leonard - women most work, men benefit

Liberal feminists - sexist supports mainstream culture. Social change possible. Pressure on institutions to change laws and social policies which discriminate against women

Criticisms - portraying women as too passive. Power may be shared within family. Households without male and females. Black feminists - diff ethnic backgrounds have diff life experiences