Project Based Learning for Family and Consumer Science
Course notes on Engel's theory of the human relationship between capitalism, private holding and the family; and gimmicky marxist views on the family.
Marxists argue that the nuclear family unit performs ideological functions for Commercialism – the family acts every bit a unit of consumption and teaches passive acceptance of hierarchy. It is besides the establishment through which the wealthy pass down their individual property to their children, thus reproducing class inequality.
This post has been written primarily for students studying the families and household selection equally office of A-level folklore.
Before reading this post, y'all might like to wait at this summary of the key ideas of Marxism.
Overview of the Marxist Perspective
Marxism is a 'structural conflict' perspective. They see society as structured along course lines with institutions more often than not working in the interests of the small aristocracy class who have economical power (the 'Bourgeoisie') and the much larger working form (the 'Proletariat'). The Bourgeoise proceeds their wealth from exploiting the proletariat. There is thus a conflict of interests betwixt the Bourgeoise and the Proletariat.
All the same, this disharmonize of interests rarely boils over into revolution because institutions such as the family perform the function of 'ideological control', or disarming the masses that the present unequal organization is inevitable, natural and good.
Something else Marxists propose nigh the family (like the Functional Fit theory) is that the family type generally changes with club – more than specifically, the nuclear family emerges not because of the needs of industrialisation, but because of the needs of the capitalist organisation.
Explaining the emergence of the nuclear family – Engels
According to Engels, the monogamous nuclear family only emerged with Commercialism. Before Commercialism, traditional, tribal societies were classless and they practised a form of 'archaic communism' in which there was no private belongings. In such societies, belongings was collectively owned, and the family structure reflected this – in that location were no families as such, merely tribal groups existed in a kind of 'promiscuous horde' in which at that place were no restrictions on sexual relationships.
Notwithstanding, with the emergence of Capitalism in the 18th Century, society and the family changed. Capitalism is based on a organisation of private ownership – The conservative apply their ain personal wealth to personally invest in businesses in guild to make a profit, they don't invest for the benefit of everyone else.
Eventually the Conservative started to look for means to pass on their wealth to the next generation, rather than having information technology shared out amongst the masses, and this is where the monogamous nuclear family comes from. It is the best way of guaranteeing that you are passing on your holding to your son, because in a monogamous human relationship yous have a clear idea of who your own children are.
Ultimately what this arrangement does is to reproduce inequality – The children of the rich grow upward into wealth, while the children of the poor remain poor. Thus the nuclear family unit benefits the Bourgeois more than the proletariat.
Criticisms of Engels
Gender inequality clearly preceded Commercialism….. The vast majority of tribes in Africa and Asia are patriarchal, with women existence barred from owning property, having no political ability, and having to practise most of the child intendance and hard physical labour.
Wealthy Capitalist economies such equally the UK and The states have seen the fastest improvements in gender equality over the last 100 years. Capitalism, increasing wealth and gender equality inside a nation seem to be correlated.
Contemporary Marxism – The family as an Ideological Apparatus
The modern nuclear family functions to promote values that ensure the reproduction and maintenance of capitalism. The family unit is described as an ideological apparatus – this ways information technology socialises people to think in a way that justifies inequality and encourages people to have the capitalist system equally fair, natural and unchangeable.
I fashion in which this happens is that there is a hierarchy in almost families which teaches children to accept there will always be someone in "authority" who they must obey, which so mirrors the hierarchy of boss-worker in paid employment in later life.
Gimmicky Marxism – The Family every bit a Unit of Consumption
Capitalists/concern owners want to keep workers' wages down so they can make a profit, but to practise then they must also be able to sell the workers goods i.e. they must create demand for their products. The family unit builds demand for goods in a number of ways
1) Families must keep up with the fabric goods/services acquired past their neighbours and peers e.g. family holidays, cars – this is known "Keeping up with the Joneses". At that place are significant amounts of advert and Tv programmes influencing parents in this manner.
2) The media and companies target children in their advertizing who then persuade their parents through pester power to purchase more expensive items. This is peculiarly bad in the UK where there few legal restrictions on adverts aimed at children; in Sweden advertising aimed at children under 12 is illegal.
Overall Criticisms of Marxism
- It's as well deterministic – it assumes people passively accept socialisation and family unit 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 unit is no longer the main type of family. In fact, family breakdown may be better for Commercialism – as divorce is expensive and more coin has to be spent on maintaining family relationships and later forming new families.
- Feminists argue that the Marxist focus on social class inequalities downplays the role of patriarchy, which is the existent source of female person oppression. Feminists would point out that sex inequalities exist within all families, irrespective of social form background.
- Marxism ignores the benefits of nuclear family e.grand. 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 nearly societies effectually the world, suggesting it is something people choose.
A Level Folklore Families and Households Revision Bundle
If you like this sort of thing, and then you might like my AS Folklore Families and Households Revision Bundle which contains the following:
- fifty pages of revision notes covering all of the sub-topics within families and households
- listen maps in pdf and png format – nine in full, covering perspectives on the family
- brusque reply exam practice questions and exemplar answers – three examples of the x mark, 'outline and explain' question.
- 9 essays/ essay plans spanning all the topics within the families and households topic.
Signposting and Related Posts
The Marxist perspective on the family is normally taught subsequently the Functionalist perspective on the Family, and is normally the second of five perspectives on the family inside the families and households module in A-level sociology.
Essay plan on the Marxist perspective on the family
Marxist Feminist Perspectives on the Family
Feminist Perspectives on the Family
Source: https://revisesociology.com/2014/02/10/marxist-perspective-family/
0 Response to "Project Based Learning for Family and Consumer Science"
Postar um comentário