Marx's friend Engels (1820-95) wrote alot about the family. He argued that capitalists became rich, they needed to ensure they passed their property onto their right heir, especially their first-born son. The nuclear family and faithful relationships were an attempt to control women's sexual behaviour. This was before DNA testing for paternity was availiable, which enabled men to be as certain as possible that their son was their own.
Other marxist veiws on family already discussed include the arguments put forward by Marxist feminists such as Ansley and Benston. And also Marxist Radical psychiatrist David Cooper.
Cooper (1972) takes a more marxist approach to the family and focuses particuarly on how children are treated. He argues parents teach children to be obidient, so when they go to work they are easily controlled. Parents make children aim at getting 'respectable jobs', and any dreams are stamped upon. Parents and like capitalists or bosses, and the children become the proletrait or workers.
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