Explain the Functions of the Family In this essay I will be exploring and explaining the various functions of the

family, while looking through the eyes of three key perspectives: Marxism, Feminism and Functionalism. Each of these three view points and theories are just that and provide no concrete or solid evidence to suggest the functionality of the family. However, before I look into the functions of the Family, I think it is a necessity to first define exactly what it is. In todays ever changing, modern society, the number of different types of family there are is gargantuan. Although hard to believe, there is in fact five main types of family, which the mainstream Sociologist refers to; these are: The Nuclear Family, The Extended Family, The Reconstituted Family, The Single Parent Family, and The Cereal Packet Family. Each of these varying types of families is very different in terms of dynamics and structure. Nuclear Family: The family consists of parents and their children. Extended Family: Usually consisting of Grandparents, parents and their children. Reconstituted family: commonly known as the step family. Single parent family consisting of one parents and child(ren). Lastly the Cereal Packet family: this is the picture of the family that the media tends to present, especially in adverts. The perfect, stereotypical family. (sixthsense, 2005). Marxism Perspective of the Family The Marxist perspective views the family as an ever changing evolutionary factor of society. As the mode of production changed, so did the family). (Sociology: Themes and Perspectives, 2008). This is possibly a good way of looking at the family, because, as an individuals environment and society change and evolve, surly they follow suit? However, the Marxist view also suggests that the family as we know it did not exist during our primitive human evolutionary stages, due to promiscuity being prolific. During the early stages of human evolution, the family as such did not exist. This era of primitive communism was characterized by promiscuity. (Sociology: Themes and Perspectives, 2008).

Generally we start to see a pattern within the Marxist perspective. It would seem that a lot of these theories are extremely uncompassionate and disregards specific relationships and feelings of individuals when examining the dynamics of the family. In-fact, rather than even skimming in these

very complex and what I would call family changing connections between members of a family, Marxism seems to focus on the economy, certainly when referring to modern day families. Engels, who may be seen as the originator of Marxist theories of the family, claimed that it was economic developments and specifically the development of private property which necessitated the development of the monogamous family (earlhamsociologypages, 2011). It is because of this that I almost feel Marxism, dehumanises the family, making it sounds like some kind of mechanical endeavour. In short, the Marxism perspective mainly focuses on capitalism. Talking of only two social classes (Proletarians and Bourgeoisie), where the Proletarians own businesses and are effectively what we comprehend the middle and upper classes to be, while the Bourgeoisie are the working and under classes. With this is mind, Marxism theorises that families were created as an aid for the Proletarians; so this class could locate the rightful heir to bequeath. (Cook.G, 2011) Feminist Perspective of The Family The first thing to note about the feminist perspective is that, to them, the family seems like a negative aspect of our society. Feminism does not have a history of being family friendly. (Modern Feminism: An Evaluation, 2008). By definition the feminist perspective is going to be geared towards the promotion of womens rights, and in this case, womens rights within the family. This perspective delivers this message very effectively, believing that both male and females should be equal within the family. They believe that the family is symmetrical and both husband and wife have joint conjugal roles, which makes the family a functional institution. (SocialPC, Unknown). However, while I myself would fight to boost and promote equal rights for women, I am forever critical towards this theory. The Feminist Perspective isnt always level headed, and talks of the harmful effects of family life on women. (Sociology: Themes and Perspectives, 2008). Also, making assumptions and stereotypes of the family to aid in a kind of sympathy pitch for women, arguing that all women play dual roles as paid workers and unpaid housewifes (Cook.G, 2011), when we know that the structure and dynamics of every family, (certainly in todays society), are completely different, from each other.

So again, in short, the feminist perspective looks towards male and female equality as an absolute necessity for the family. It also views the female role(s) within the family as overloaded, as well as the status of the family woman being oppressed. Functionalist Perspective of the Family Now we move on to the third and final perspective I will be looking into. This type of view or theory towards the family incorporates structuralism into its hypothesise. It sees social structure as more

important than individuals. (Socyberty, 2009). Structuralism works, in my opinion, tremendously well when referring to the family, because we are all products of the social influences that encapsulate us. Something that really distances Functionalism from the other two perspectives I have looked at, is the postulation that families, in every instance emulate perfection in the way of relationships and needs. Functionalists also assume that the family is a positive and beneficial institution in which family members receive nurturing, care and unconditional love. (Socyberty, 2009). This, as Im sure you will agree is a very optimistic way of viewing the modern family, as we bring into context signs of a dysfunctional family; (divorce, misbehaviour or even abuse to name three). The Functionalist Perspective seems to be a very idealistic and buoyant view. It seems to put across the notion that all humans benefit in a celestial manner from the family, and denies, or ignores negative aspects that the family can expose an individual to. In conclusion, I believe it to be impossible to group or stereotype the family, thus producing any type of hypothesis, theory or view into how that family functions or should function. When we look at todays society we see there are many domestic, social and dynamical factors that influence the family, before we derive assumptions of the families conduct, faculties, functionality etc. We only have to look at examples such as the 60,200 children that were being looked after away from home (fostered), in March 2010, (The Fostering Network, 2010), or the legalization of

homosexual civil partnership to realize that: A). The amount of different types of family is vast and ever growing B). The family cannot simply be defined, stereotyped and blocked together. Ben Dixon

References Sixth Sense: Sociology. [online] Available at: http://sixthsense.osfc.ac.uk/sociology/research/family_diversity.asp [Accessed 27 September 2011].
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(Haralambos and Holborn, 2008, Sociology: Themes and Perspectives (7 Edition), London, Harper Collins) Earlham Sociology Pages: Marxism and the Family. [online] Available at: http://www.earlhamsociologypages.co.uk/marxismfamily.html [Accessed 27 September 2011] Modern Feminism: An Evaluation Feminism and the Family. [online] Available at: http://www.freewebs.com/feminism-evaluated/ [Accessed 27 September 2011 SocialPC: Hows Your Social Life. [online] Available at: http://www.socialpc.com/Sociology/FeministsAnd-Sociology-Of-Family.html [Accessed 27 September 2011] Cook.G, 2011, unpublished lecture notes Socyberty: The Functionalists View of The Family in Society. [online] Available at: http://socyberty.com/sociology/the-functionalists-view-of-the-family-in-society/ [Accessed 27 September 2011] The Fostering Network. [online] Available at: http://www.fostering.net/about-fostering/statistics-lookedafter-children [Accessed 27 September 2011].

Bibliography http://sixthsense.osfc.ac.uk/sociology/research/approaches.asp http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10487318