Perspectives On The Role Of The Family: Feminist Responses To Functionalist And Marxist Accounts Of The Role Of The Family. (Copy)
1. Feminist Core View on the Family
| Feminist Claim | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Family is a key site of patriarchy | Benefits men more than women |
| Gender roles are socially constructed | Not natural, but taught |
| Women provide unpaid labour | Domestic & emotional |
| Family reinforces male power | Male dominance normalised |
2. Feminist Response to Functionalism
Functionalist Claims Challenged
| Functionalist Claim | Feminist Critique |
|---|---|
| Family stabilises adults (warm bath theory) | Only stabilises men; women absorb stress (Ansley: women = “takers of shit”) |
| Nuclear family is “natural” & beneficial | Patriarchal; oppresses women |
| Socialisation teaches shared norms | Teaches gender inequality (girls learn care; boys learn dominance) |
| Family = harmonious unit | Ignores domestic violence, emotional labour |
Reasons Feminists Reject Functionalism
| Reason | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Too idealistic | Ignores abuse and power imbalance |
| Patriarchal bias | Functionalists assume male breadwinner model |
| Ignores women’s oppression | Housework, childcare, emotional work |
Key Thinkers
| Thinker | Critique |
|---|---|
| Ann Oakley | Functionalists exaggerate housewife “choice”; roles are imposed |
| Delphy & Leonard | Family = institution of exploitation |
| Greer | Family reinforces male control |
Written and Compiled By Sir Hunain Zia, World Record Holder With 154 Total A Grades, 7 Distinctions and 11 World Records For Educate A Change AS Level Sociology Full Scale Course
3. Feminist Response to Marxism
Marxist Claims Challenged
| Marxist Claim | Feminist Critique |
|---|---|
| Family benefits capitalism (ideology + labour power + consumption) | True, but ignores patriarchy as an independent system |
| Women’s oppression explained mainly by capitalism | Oversimplified; women oppressed even in non-capitalist societies |
| Women’s unpaid labour benefits ruling class | Also benefits men directly |
| Family reproduces labour power | Women treated as means for worker production |
Why Feminists Challenge Marxism
| Reason | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Reductionist | Blames capitalism, ignores gender inequality |
| Men’s power ignored | Patriarchy exists beyond economics |
| Women exploited at home by men, not only by capitalists | Dual burden + triple shift |
Marxist Feminism (the bridge position)
| Thinker | Idea |
|---|---|
| Margaret Benston | Unpaid domestic labour supports capitalism |
| Ansley | Wives absorb male workers’ frustration from capitalism |
| But Marxist feminists still say… | Capitalism alone cannot explain patriarchy |
Written and Compiled By Sir Hunain Zia, World Record Holder With 154 Total A Grades, 7 Distinctions and 11 World Records For Educate A Change AS Level Sociology Full Scale Course
4. Key Feminist Arguments Against Both Theories
| Feminist Critique | Against Functionalism | Against Marxism |
|---|---|---|
| Ignores women’s oppression | Idealises family | Focuses on class only |
| Housework exploited | Described as “beneficial” | Reduced to service for capitalism |
| Gender roles forced | Seen as natural | Seen as economic, not gendered |
| Domestic violence ignored | Assumes harmony | Not explained fully |
| Male dominance central | Not recognised | Underestimated |
5. Types of Feminism & Their Responses
Liberal Feminism
| Focus | Response |
|---|---|
| Equal rights, legal reforms | Family changing but still unequal; rejects fixed gender roles |
| Critique | Functionalism outdated; Marxism too structural |
Radical Feminism
| Focus | Response |
|---|---|
| Patriarchy as root of oppression | Family is a patriarchal institution; men benefit most |
| Critique | Functionalism = romanticised patriarchy; Marxism = male-centred |
Marxist Feminism
| Focus | Response |
|---|---|
| Capitalism + patriarchy | Family oppresses women because it supports capitalism and men |
| Critique | Marxism incomplete without gender focus |
Difference/Black Feminism
| Focus | Response |
|---|---|
| Experiences differ by ethnicity/class | Functionalism + Marxism assume universal family experience |
| Critique | Ignores race, culture, migration influences |
Written and Compiled By Sir Hunain Zia, World Record Holder With 154 Total A Grades, 7 Distinctions and 11 World Records For Educate A Change AS Level Sociology Full Scale Course
6. Quick Comparison Table
| Issue | Functionalism | Marxism | Feminist Response |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family benefits | Society & individuals | Capitalism | Men (patriarchy) + capitalism |
| Source of oppression | None (family is good) | Capitalist system | Patriarchy + economic inequality |
| View of gender roles | Natural, functional | Economic necessity | Socially constructed + unequal |
| Women’s work | Supportive & stabilising | Reproduces labour | Exploited unpaid labour |
| Focus | Harmony | Class conflict | Gender power imbalance |