Marxist Theory of The Family – Knowledge Organiser

General view Ways in which the family maintains capitalism

Marxists believe that capitalism Families must keep up with the material goods/services acquired by their neighbours and
peers e.g. family holidays, cars – this is known “Keeping up with the Joneses”. There are
exploits and alienates the significant amounts of advertising and TV programmes influencing parents in this way.

consumption
proletariat. The media and companies target children in their advertising who then persuade their

(Zaretsky)
parents through pester power to buy more expensive items. This is particularly bad in the UK
The family maintains capitalism and

Unit of
where there few legal restrictions on adverts aimed at children; in Sweden advertising aimed
reinforces social inequalities. at children under 12 is illegal

Zaretsky argues that the family acts as a cushion taking in all

Compare with functionalist view of the frustration that men feel due to the alienation and
family exploitation they experience at work

alienation
(Zaretsky)
Cushions
-Parsons – nuclear family is a functional fit
after the industrial revolution as they are
smaller and members have an achieved
status as opposed to an ascribed status this
means they are more geographically and Zaretsky argues that the family create the next generation of
socially mobile workers as children accept capitalist ideology
-The nuclear family has 2 irreducible
Reproduces
workforce

functions – stabilisation of the adult

(Zaretsky)

personality and primary socialisation

-Murdock argues that the nuclear family
has 4 functions and they carry out
socialisation the best that’s why it is
-The family plays an ideological role of reproducing and
the ISA (Althusser)

present in most societies

legitimising class inequality. Paternal figures act like bosses,
Family is part of

they dissuade discussion – their say is final which makes the

children act subservient and not question or threaten
Compare with feminist view of
capitalism.
family
Leave blank until we study feminism

-Radical feminists argue that family and

The family act as a
marriage is a patriarchal institution that
Family is a source

continues the oppression of women –

(Hochschild)

shown the dual burden and triple shift –

women do all the emotion, paid and
of profit

domestic work

-Marxist feminists such as Ansley argues

that women are takers of shit who absorb
all the frustration that men feel due to the
exploitation and alienation that they
experience at work.
Compare with postmodernist view
of family
Leave blank until we study postmodernism
Evaluation of Marxist views of the family
 It’s too deterministic – it assumes people passively accept socialisation and
family life, and that the future is pre-determined. There are plenty of families
who reject the consumerist lifestyle and many families bring their children up
to be independent thinkers.
 The Marxist perspective ignores family diversity in capitalist society, the nuclear
family is no longer the main type of family. In fact, family breakdown may be
better for Capitalism – as divorce is expensive and more money has to be spent
on maintaining family relationships and later on forming new families.
 Feminists argue that the Marxist focus on social class inequalities downplays
the role of patriarchy, which is the real source of female oppression. Feminists
would point out that sex inequalities exist within all families, irrespective of
social class background.
 Marxism ignores the benefits of nuclear family e.g. both parents support the
children. The New Right point out that this is the most functional type of
environment in which to raise children, and the nuclear family is found in most
societies around the world, suggesting it is something people choose.