Welcome to Families and Society: Understanding Different Perspectives!
Hello Sociologists! This chapter is one of the most exciting parts of the course because we are going to look at the institution we know best: the family.
You already know that sociologists study how society works. Here, we investigate how the family functions, who benefits from it, and how it shapes the entire structure of society. Don't worry if some of the theories seem tricky at first; we will break them down using simple analogies!
Why is studying family perspectives important?
- It helps us understand why family structures change over time.
- It reveals hidden inequalities within the home (like who does the chores).
- It shows how the family either supports or challenges the rest of society (like the government and economy).
Section 1: The Building Blocks – What Are We Studying?
Before diving into the theories, let's quickly confirm what sociologists mean by 'family' and 'household'.
Key Definitions
Family: A group of people linked by kinship (blood, marriage, or adoption). Families often involve emotional bonds and shared identity.
Household: A group of people who share the same living space, meals, and bills. Example: Five university students sharing a flat are a household, but not a family (unless they are siblings).
Key Takeaway: All families are households, but not all households are families! Sociological perspectives mostly focus on the *functions* and *relationships* within the family unit.
Section 2: The Consensus View – Functionalism
Functionalists believe that society is like a human body: every part (like the family, education, and government) must work together harmoniously for the whole system to survive. They see the family as a highly beneficial and necessary institution.
A. George Murdock (1949): The Universal Functions
Murdock studied 250 societies around the world and concluded that the nuclear family (two parents and their children) is necessary and performs four basic functions essential for society.
Memory Aid: R-E-S-S
- Reproductive: Society needs new members to survive. The family provides the stable environment for procreation.
- Educational (or Socialisation): Children must be taught the norms and values of their culture (how to behave). This is known as primary socialisation.
- Sexual: The family provides a stable, controlled outlet for sexual desires, preventing chaos and ensuring commitment between adults.
- Economic: The family provides resources for its members (food, shelter, safety).
Did you know? Functionalists call the family the "basic building block" of society because without these four functions, society would collapse.
B. Talcott Parsons (1950s): Functions in Modern Society
Parsons argued that the family in modern industrial societies has lost some of the economic functions it once had (like making clothes or farming). However, two functions remain absolutely vital:
- Primary Socialisation: Teaching children the basic norms and values needed to become functional citizens. Parsons believed this 'socialisation' process molds the personality of the child.
- Stabilisation of Adult Personalities (S.A.P.): Parsons called the family a 'warm bath'. Adults work hard in the stressful outside world. When they come home, the family provides emotional support, stability, and stress relief. This allows adults to return to work refreshed, supporting the economy.
Functionalist View Summary: The family is a positive, indispensable institution that serves the needs of both the individual and society as a whole.
Section 3: The Economic Critics – Marxism
Marxists do not see the family as a happy, harmonious unit. They believe all social institutions, including the family, exist primarily to support Capitalism (an economic system based on private ownership and making profit).
How the Family Supports Capitalism (The Three Rs)
1. Reproduction of the Workforce
The family reproduces and maintains the future generation of workers. It feeds, clothes, and socializes children to become compliant future labourers. It also maintains the current workers (men who work) by providing the "warm bath" service, which Functionalists see as positive, but Marxists see as benefiting the boss, not the worker.
2. Passing on Richness (Inheritance)
Historically, Marxists argue that the family developed to solve the problem of inheritance. When wealth began to accumulate, rich men needed a way to ensure that their legitimate (biological) sons inherited their private property. This led to the control of women's sexuality (monogamy) and established the clear nuclear family unit to pass wealth down the generations.
3. Ruling Class Ideology
The family acts as an ideological apparatus. This means it teaches people to accept hierarchy and inequality.
- Children learn to obey their parents, which trains them to obey their boss at work and the government later in life.
- The family encourages consumerism (buying goods). Families buy products, from toys to appliances, which keeps capitalist factories profitable.
Marxist View Summary: The family is not a neutral institution; it is a tool that maintains economic inequality, keeps the rich rich, and trains the working class to accept their place.
Section 4: The Gender Critics – Feminism
Feminist perspectives focus on how the family maintains patriarchy—a system where men hold power and dominate women in society and within the home. Feminists argue that Functionalists and Marxists ignore the massive inequalities and exploitation of women *within* the family structure.
Key Criticism: Who benefits from the 'warm bath'? Feminists argue that the man benefits, while the woman (who cleans the house, cooks, and provides emotional labour) is exploited.
Different Types of Feminism
Feminism is not one single theory; it has different branches that focus on different solutions:
1. Liberal Feminism (The Reformers)
Liberal Feminists believe inequality in the family is caused by unfair laws and outdated attitudes. They campaign for gradual, legal change to create equality.
- Focus: Changing laws regarding divorce, equal pay, and shared parental leave.
- Goal: Gender equality achieved through legal reform and education, allowing men and women to choose their roles freely.
Analogy: They want to fix the system using existing rules (like fixing a broken speed limit sign).
2. Marxist Feminism (The Economic Problem)
Marxist Feminists agree with Marxists that Capitalism is the root problem, but they specifically focus on how women are exploited by it.
- Focus: Women’s unpaid labour (housework, childcare) is crucial for Capitalism because it’s free. Women are the "reserve army of labour"—brought into work when needed, but pushed back into the home when unemployment is high.
- Goal: Overthrow Capitalism, which they believe will automatically free women from oppression.
3. Radical Feminism (The Revolutionaries)
Radical Feminists believe that all societies are based on patriarchy, and men are the fundamental problem. They see the family (especially the nuclear family) as the primary site of women's oppression.
- Focus: Sexual violence, domestic abuse, and the control men exercise over women's lives.
- Goal: Abolish the traditional family structure and, in extreme cases, advocate for political lesbianism and separation from men to establish female freedom.
Feminist View Summary: The family is a major source of conflict and inequality, maintaining male dominance and often exploiting women’s labour.
Quick Review: Comparing the Three Main Perspectives
Here is a table to help you compare the perspectives easily. When answering exam questions, you must be able to contrast them!
| Perspective | View of the Family | Relationship with Society | Key Concept |
| Functionalism | Positive, necessary, harmonious. | Supports stability and order (like a body part). | Primary Socialisation, Warm Bath. |
| Marxism | Harmful, based on inequality and money. | Supports Capitalism and the wealthy ruling class. | Inheritance, Ideological Apparatus. |
| Feminism | Site of conflict, oppression, and male dominance. | Supports Patriarchy (gender inequality). | Unpaid Labour, Domestic Violence, Patriarchy. |
Section 5: Important Concepts for Exam Success
To ensure you get high marks, make sure you can explain these simple sociological concepts:
1. The Relationship between Family and Social Class
Marxists emphasize that the family transmits class inequality. If you are born into a wealthy family, you inherit money and connections. If you are born poor, you inherit poverty and limited opportunities. The family ensures that class positions are passed on, making society rigid.
2. The Relationship between Family and State (Government)
The State (government, laws, police) can heavily influence family life:
- Functionalists see state support (like benefits or police protection) as helping the family perform its essential functions.
- Marxists see state policies (like taxes) as mainly benefiting the rich families who own corporations.
- Feminists point out that historically, the state rarely intervened in domestic matters like abuse, viewing the family as private, which often protected male abusers.
Common Mistake to Avoid: Do not confuse the *Functionalist* idea of the family supporting society (consensus) with the *Marxist* or *Feminist* idea of the family supporting inequality (conflict). They are opposites!
That’s it for this comprehensive chapter! You now have the tools to analyze why families look and behave the way they do, according to three powerful sociological lenses. Keep practicing contrasting these views—it’s key to your success!