Examine Marxist views of the role of the family Essay

Marxist is a perspective view that society is built as class conflict between the Capitalist who own the means of production and the working class. Capitalists believe that there is are three functions of the family: Inheritance of property; ideology functions and unit of consumptions. Marxists say that the family benefits capitalist. Marxists say that one role or functions of the family is inheritance of property. The Bourgeoisie own the means of production whereas the working class just work for the capitalist and own no means of production. The Capitalist want to keep control of the means of production and the only way they can do this is by inheritance of property, which means that all the property is handed down to the first son. A Marxist sociologist, Engles, says this explains the rise in monogamist marriages as marriage makes sure there is a legitimate heir. This is why families are important as it helps maintain a capitalist society. Another role or function the family has i s an ideology function. Ideology function means a set of beliefs and ideas that the capital is a dominant class and that the equality is right and just. The family helps keep this idea by primary socialisation of the young and children being brought up learning these ideas that Capitalism is right. This helps maintain capitalism because children will eventually become the next labour force for capitalists. The last role of the family is that it is a unit of consumption which means that Capitalist own the production and the working class are wanting for Capitalist as well as buying from them. This helps maintain capitalism, which is a family’s main role or function, because they are buying from capitalism and they would benefit. Feminist would criticise Marxist by saying that the family benefit men and men only, causing aoppression for women. Functionalist would criticise the Marxist view that the family benefits Capitalist. They believe that society is based or a value consensus. And that the family benefits society as well as its individual members.