Families and Household By Atis Stafeckis Essay - 1198 Words

Families and Household By Atis Stafeckis The role of the family within our society has always been hard to explain. Functionalist theorists like George Murdock (1949) and Talcott Parsons (1959) considers the family a mechanism that exists to complement societal needs for new generations with identical norms and values. Marxists like Engels and Zeretsky have a narrower viewpoint on the family in terms of societal use. They consider the family to be a more oppressive force that teaches the young about to the harsh truth of capitalism (Hutton, W 1997), and creates generations of single track minded individuals who obey without question. Feminists take a more diverse approach that varies from Liberal feminists like Jenny Somerville (2000)†¦show more content†¦This role also provides parental figures an opportunity to express their childish whims through their children. The family is responsible for teaching the new generations about the life, norms and values. Without culture, the society could not survive, and too mu ch deviation from the norm would disrupt the stability of the society. While one of the more favourable theories Functionalists have a problem explaining rapid social change e.g. Revolutions. This is because of the emphasis their perspective puts on consensus created through the socialisation process and functional dependence and necessity. Marxists are firm believers that the Bourgeoisie are responsible for all Proletarian problems. They believe that the family serves an ideological functions (a set of ideas and beliefs that justify inequality and assist in the maintenance of the capitalist system). Friedrich Engels (1891; 1978) states that the need for the family only arose for the sheer necessity to protect privatized property and industry of the Bourgeoisie. He argues that Capitalism depends on the patriarchal monogamous nuclear family. He states that monogamy , marriage and family are all institutions that benefits the capitalist system, he also stated that due to these institutions women became tools of reproduction and described it as the world historical defeat of the