If you order your custom term paper from our custom writing service you will receive a perfectly written assignment on Compare and Contrast two theories of the family. What we need from you is to provide us with your detailed paper instructions for our experienced writers to follow all of your specific writing requirements. Specify your order details, state the exact number of pages required and our custom writing professionals will deliver the best quality Compare and Contrast two theories of the family paper right on time. Out staff of freelance writers includes over 120 experts proficient in Compare and Contrast two theories of the family, therefore you can rest assured that your assignment will be handled by only top rated specialists. Order your Compare and Contrast two theories of the family paper at affordable prices! Compare and Contrast two theories of the family
The family is regarded by many sociologists as the cornerstone of society. It is frequently described as the basic unit of social organization. The functionalist theory of the family is known as consensus theory. The Marxist theory is known as conflict theory.
Functionalist theories of society are based on the assumption that society operates on the basis of consensus (agreement) and that there is a tendency towards equiliium (balance) between the various parts of society so that they work together harmoniously. Functionalists tend to assume that if a social institution exists then it must have a function or a purpose. The family is therefore often examined in the terms of the functions it performs for the benefit of society and the individual.
In a study on the family George Peter Murdock (Social Structure 14) studied 50 societies, he came to the conclusion that the nuclear family is a universal human social grouping... it exists as a distinct and strongly functional group in every known society. Murdock identifies four basic functions that the family performs. These are sexual and reproductive which he states are essential for social life as without these there would be no members of society. The other two are economic and educational, without the economic function life would cease and without the education there would be no culture. Murdock believes that without culture society could not function. Hence the family is a good thing. It is functional both for its individuals and for a wider society. It can be said that Murdocks picture of the family is seen as a multi-functional institution which is imperative to society. To others, possibly even too good to be true that the nuclear family is such a marvelous institution. Murdock was criticized for not seriously considering whether its institutions could be performed by other social institutions and not looking at alternatives to the family.
American sociologist Talcott Parsons (155) argues that the typical family unit is the isolated nuclear family. Parson states that because society has become increasingly specialized the functions of the family have dropped to two. These are the primary socialization of children and the stabilization of adult personalities. The primary socialization of children involves two processes, which are the internalization of societies culture and the structuring of personalities. Parsons could conceive of no institution other than the family that could provide the warmth, security and mutual support needed to complete these processes. The stabilization of adult personalities focuses on the husband-wife relationship. Since the isolated nuclear family does not have the security once provided by the close knit extended family the married couple look to each other for emotional support and so helps to stabilize their personalities. He claims that the nuclear family in industrial society is no less important than it was, it is simply more specialized.
Parsons too was criticized of assuming the family as perfect with well behaved children and fantastic parents that was there for their every need. Some said, maybe a little too optimistic for your average family. D.H.J Morgans (175) mentions "there are no classes, no regions, no religious, ethnic or status groups, no communities. This be explaining that Parsons failed to explore the many differences between the middle-class and working-class families or the different family structures in ethnic minority communities.
Ronald Fletcher (The family and Marriage initain, 166) argued that not only has the family retained its functions but those functions have increased in detail and importance. He maintained that the familys responsibility for socializing the young is as important as ever. State education has added to, rather than removed, this responsibility since Parents are expected to do their best to encourage, guide and support their children in their educational and occupational choices and careers. He admitted that the family has largely lost its functions as a unit of production, he argued that it still maintains a vital economic function as a unit of consumption. Particularly in the case of the modern home-centred family, money is spent home, and in the name of, the family rather than the individual.
William J. Goode (World Revolution and Family Patterns, 16) surveyed the relationship between family structure and industrialization in various parts of the world. He did not regard the pressures of industrialization as the only reason for theeakdown of extended family ties. He argued that the move to nuclear families had been far more rapid than could be supposed or predicted from the industrialization alone. Goode applied the concept of role bargaining to his study of the family. Meaning that individuals attempt to achieve the best possible bargain in their relationships with others. They attempt to maximize their gains. In terms of family relationships this means they maintain relationships with kin and submit to their control if they feel they are getting a good return on their investment of time, energy and emotion.
Marxists believe that the family is a social institution, and serves some purposes in society. However they believe that the family has mainly exploitative aspects and serves to exploit and oppress. They reject the functionalist view that society is based on value consensus and thus operates for the benefit of all. The family is seen as part of the superstructure of society and is one of a number of institutions which serve the needs of and help to maintain the infrastructure or economic structure.
A leading Marxist, Fredriech Engels (17), believes in the evolution of the family-that in the early stages of human development, the means of production was communally owned and the modern day family did not exist. This era of primitive communism was characterized by promiscuity. There were no rules limiting sexual relationships. Engels says the nuclear family developed as human people put more restrictions on property and partners. Therefore the monogamous relationship developed with the emergence of private property. In Engels words
It is based on the supremacy of the man, the express purpose being to produce children of undisputed paternity; such paternity is demanded because these children are later to come into their fathers property as his natural heirs. (Engels, 17)
Although Engels has been criticized for this view of human society, anthropologist Kathleen Gough argues that this maybe close to the truth. She says that the nearest relation to man, the chimpanzee, live in promiscuous hordes and this may have been the pattern for early man.
Engels theory was based largely on an erroneous interpretation of the family by the nineteenth century anthropologist Lewis Henry Morgan.
He also claimed the bourgeois nuclear family reproduces a future generation workforce at no charge. A direct criticism on Murdocks theory was that he did not consider whether the functions could be prepared by other social institutions and he does not examine alternatives to the family.
Sociologist Eli Zaretsky (Personal Life and Capitalism, 176) has analyzed more recent developments in the family, also from a Marxist perspective. Zaretsky looks at the change in the family from a unit of production to a unit of consumption. Based on his studies, Zaretsky believes that the inequalities in family life first emerged with industrialization, because the family became removed from the economic function. With the growing of capitalized society, families became unable to support their members neither psychologically nor emotionally. Zaretsky sees the family as a major prom to the capitalist society, infact vital to the capitalist society in order for it to survive. From this perspective, it is shown that there are winners and losers in social life, social order is maintained not by popular agreement, (as the functionalist would believe) but by the direct and indirect power by some over others.
The criticisms of the Marxist theory is that it seemed very much so domination of the mans role in its economy. Therefore, Marxist feminism was taken in order. They criticized the family as they focused on the double exploitation of women by capitalism and men. They argued men dominant family relationships and that domestic labour within the family deserves the need of a capitalist economy.
Having examined the different theories on the family it can be concluded that the functionalist perspective provides a positive, idealized picture of society emphasizing the universal necessity for the family and the appropriate functions which it provides to both the individual and society. Functionalists have been accused of seeing the family in only its good light and are criticized for their little attempt to investigate the less favouring parts of the family life and lack of any visible evidence of the viable alternatives to the nuclear family. Marxists, as functionalists critics, provide images of the family that they can be violent and psychologically damaging to the individual family member and to society as a whole. This therefore shatters the functionalist image which assume that the family life is perfect!
Please note that this sample paper on Compare and Contrast two theories of the family is for your review only. In order to eliminate any of the plagiarism issues, it is highly recommended that you do not use it for you own writing purposes. In case you experience difficulties with writing a well structured and accurately composed paper on Compare and Contrast two theories of the family, we are here to assist you. Your cheap custom college paper on Compare and Contrast two theories of the family will be written from scratch, so you do not have to worry about its originality. Order your authentic assignment and you will be amazed at how easy it is to complete a quality custom paper within the shortest time possible!