Theories of the family - 1 | Sociology Optional for UPSC (Notes) PDF Download

The Family – A Functionalist Perspective

From a functionalist perspective, the analysis of the family involves three main aspects. First, we need to determine the functions that the family serves in society. This means examining the family's contributions to the maintenance and stability of the social system. The assumption here is that society has certain essential needs that must be met for it to function efficiently, and the family is explored based on how well it meets these needs.
Secondly, we must explore the functional relationships between the family and other components of the social system. The idea is that there needs to be a level of compatibility and balance between different parts of the social system for society to function smoothly. For instance, the family must have some degree of integration with the economic system. We will delve deeper into this aspect later on when discussing the connection between the family and industrialization.

Functionalists view the family as a source of human happiness and social stability

Lastly, we need to examine the functions that the family serves for its individual members. This means looking at the roles and responsibilities that the family carries out for the well-being and development of each of its members. In summary, analyzing the family from a functionalist perspective involves exploring the family's functions in society, its relationships with other social systems, and the roles it plays for its individual members.

I. The Universal Functions of the Family: According to George Peter Murdock, the family performs four basic functions in all societies: sexual, reproductive, economic, and educational. These functions are essential for social life and human society, as they ensure the continuity of society and the transmission of culture. However, Murdock's perspective has been criticized for not considering alternative social institutions that could perform these functions and for focusing on the harmony and integration within the family.

II. The Basic and Irreducible Functions of the Family: Sociologist Talcott Parsons argues that the family in modern American society retains two basic and irreducible functions: the primary socialization of children and the stabilization of the adult personalities. The primary socialization process involves the internalization of society's culture and the structuring of the personality, which occurs mainly within the family. The stabilization of adult personalities involves the emotional support provided by the marriage relationship. However, Parsons has been criticized for idealizing the family, focusing on the American middle-class family, and not exploring functional alternatives to the family.

III. Functions and Dysfunctions of the Family: Ezra F. Vogel and Norman W. Bell's study on emotionally disturbed children in American families presents a functional analysis that considers both the functional and dysfunctional aspects of the family. They argue that unresolved conflicts between parents are projected onto the child, making them an emotional scapegoat. This process is dysfunctional for the child, but functional for the parents, the family unit, and society as a whole. This analysis helps to address the dysfunctional aspects of the family within the functionalist framework.

“ The functionalist perspective on the family sheds light on the various functions and relationships within the family unit and its connection to the wider social system. While the perspectives offered by Murdock, Parsons, and Vogel and Bell have their merits, they also face criticisms for idealizing the family, focusing on specific family types, and not considering alternative social institutions. Nonetheless, the functionalist perspective remains an important tool for understanding the family's role in society and its impact on individual members.” 

Critical Perspectives on the Family

The traditional image of the family as a cohesive and happy social unit has been increasingly criticized. Some scholars argue that the family may be dysfunctional for society and its individual members. This article discusses the views of Edmund Leach, R.D. Laing, and David Cooper, who provide critical perspectives on the family.

1. Edmund Leach – The Isolation of the Nuclear Family: In his study titled "A Runaway World?", anthropologist Edmund Leach presents a pessimistic view of the family in industrial society. He compares the nuclear family in modern industrial societies to the extended kinship networks in small-scale pre-industrial societies, which provide practical and psychological support for individuals. Leach argues that the nuclear family in industrial societies is largely isolated from kin and the wider community, making it an emotionally stressful environment prone to conflict. He also believes that the privatized family breeds suspicion and fear of the outside world, and that breaking free from the nuclear family could help alleviate societal ills.
   
2. R.D. Laing – The Politics of the Family: In "The Politics of the Family," phenomenological psychiatrist R.D. Laing presents a radical alternative to the functionalist view of the "happy family." Laing's work is largely based on the study of families with a schizophrenic member and focuses on the harmful and destructive aspects of family relationships. He views the family as a "nexus" of complex interactions and alliances, which can be emotionally harmful to its members. Laing also believes that the family creates a barrier between itself and the outside world, leading to divisions in society and perpetuating the obedience of authority.
   
3. David Cooper – The Death of the Family: David Cooper, another phenomenological psychiatrist, condemns the family as an institution in his book "The Death of the Family." Like Laing, Cooper sees the family as a stifling environment that denies individuals the freedom to develop their own individuality. He argues that the family operates as an "ideological conditioning device" that produces obedient citizens who are easily manipulated by ruling classes. Cooper also believes that the family imposes roles on its members, restricting their development and preparing them for submission to exploitative societal structures.

“ The critical views of Leach, Laing, and Cooper provide a counterbalance to the functionalist perspective on the family. These scholars emphasize the negative aspects of family life, including emotional stress, conflict, and societal divisions. Their work offers valuable insights into the complex dynamics of family relationships and their impact on individuals and society.” 

The Family –  A Marxian Perspective    

• Engels' View on the Evolution of the Family: Marxist sociologists have generally overlooked the family in their focus on social class. Friedrich Engels, however, wrote an essential work on the origin and development of the family, called The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State. Engels adopted an evolutionary perspective, attempting to trace the family's origin and development through time. He combined this approach with Marxist theory, arguing that as the mode of production changed, so did the family. Engels believed that in the early stages of human evolution, the forces of production were communally owned, and the family did not exist. This era of 'primitive communism' was characterized by promiscuity. However, Engels' speculations have been criticized, although anthropologist Kathleen Gough argues that his ideas may not be far from the truth.
• The Emergence of Monogamous Nuclear Family: Engels argued that marriage and the family evolved through a series of stages, which included polygyny, and eventually led to the monogamous nuclear family. This form of family developed with the emergence of private property and the advent of the state. The state instituted laws to protect private property and enforce monogamous marriage rules. This type of marriage and family developed to solve the problems of inheritance of private property. Males owned property and needed to ensure the legitimacy of their heirs. The monogamous family provided the most efficient means for this purpose.
• Criticisms of Engels' Theory: Modern research has suggested that many details of Engels' theory are incorrect. For example, monogamous marriage and the nuclear family are often found in hunting and gathering bands. However, Kathleen Gough argues that the general trend of Engels' argument appears sound. She notes that while nuclear families and monogamous marriage exist in small-scale societies, they form part of a larger kinship group. Communities are united by kinship ties, and the result is like a large extended family.
• Eli Zaretsky's Analysis of the Modern Family: Eli Zaretsky has analyzed more recent developments in the family from a Marxist perspective. He argues that the modern capitalist society creates the illusion that the 'private life' of the family is separate from the economy. Before the early nineteenth century, the family was the basic unit of production. With the development of factory-based production, work and family life were separated. Zaretsky claims that the family was idealized because it seemingly opposed the impersonal world of commerce and industry. The private life of the family provided opportunities for satisfaction that were unavailable outside the home.
• The Family as a Support to Capitalism: Zaretsky believes that the family is unable to provide for the psychological and personal needs of individuals. He says 'it simply cannot meet the pressures of being the only refuge in a brutal society.' The family separates and isolates personal life from other aspects of life, cushioning the effects of capitalism but perpetuating the system. Furthermore, Zaretsky sees the family as a major prop to the capitalist economy. The capitalist system relies on the domestic labor of housewives who reproduce future generations of workers. The family also serves as a vital unit of consumption, consuming the products of capitalism and allowing the bourgeoisie to continue producing surplus value. According to Zaretsky, only socialism will end the artificial separation of family private life and public life and produce the possibility of personal fulfillment.

Feminist Perspectives on The Family

Feminism has had a significant influence on the study of the family in recent decades, with many feminists highlighting the harmful effects of family life on women. They have introduced new areas of study, such as housework and domestic violence, and questioned widely held beliefs about male dominance in families. This has led to a focus on power relationships within the family and a challenge to the image of family life as harmonious and loving. Some feminists have also highlighted the economic contribution of women's domestic labor within the family. In this article, we will discuss Marxist feminist perspectives and radical feminist perspectives on the family.

• Marxist Feminist Perspectives on the Family: Marxist feminists see the family as a unit that produces labor, a basic commodity of capitalism, cheaply for the benefit of capitalists. They argue that the unpaid labor performed by women, particularly in producing and raising children, is highly profitable for those who own the means of production. The family also serves as a stabilizing force in capitalist society, as the husband's responsibility to support his family weakens his bargaining power and commits him to wage labor.
  The family not only produces and raises cheap labor but also maintains it at no cost to the employer. The emotional support provided by the wife acts as a safety valve for the husband's frustrations from working in a capitalist system, preventing the frustration from turning against the system itself. The family also serves as an ideological conditioning device, teaching children to conform and submit to authority, laying the foundation for an obedient and submissive workforce required by capitalism.
• Radical Feminist Perspectives on the Family: Though there are many varieties of radical feminism, some key characteristics distinguish them from other feminists. Radical feminists see the oppression of women as the most fundamental and universal form of domination and view society as patriarchal rather than capitalist. While they do not agree on the source of male domination, most see the family as crucial in maintaining male power.

One major radical feminist theory of the family argues that the family is a site for male domination and control. The family is seen as an authoritarian unit, where children are socialized to accept their place in a class-stratified society. This view posits that the family's authoritarian ideology is designed to teach passivity rather than rebellion, thereby ensuring the continuation of a patriarchal society.

Conclusion

The functionalist perspective on the family provides valuable insights into the family's role in society and its impact on individual members. However, critical perspectives from Leach, Laing, and Cooper, as well as Marxist and feminist perspectives, offer alternative viewpoints on the family's potentially negative effects on individuals and society. These perspectives emphasize the emotional stress, conflict, societal divisions, and perpetuation of oppressive structures within the family unit. By considering these various perspectives, a more comprehensive understanding of the complex dynamics of family relationships and their impact on individuals and society can be achieved.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) of Theories of the family

What are the four basic functions of the family according to George Peter Murdock?

Murdock states that the family performs four basic functions in all societies: sexual, reproductive, economic, and educational. These functions are essential for social life and human society, as they ensure the continuity of society and the transmission of culture.

What are the two basic and irreducible functions of the family in modern American society according to Talcott Parsons?

Parsons argues that the family in modern American society retains two basic and irreducible functions: the primary socialization of children and the stabilization of the adult personalities. The primary socialization process involves the internalization of society's culture and the structuring of the personality, while the stabilization of adult personalities involves emotional support provided by the marriage relationship.

How do critical perspectives on the family differ from the functionalist perspective?

Critical perspectives, such as those presented by Edmund Leach, R.D. Laing, and David Cooper, focus on the negative aspects of family life, including emotional stress, conflict, and societal divisions. They emphasize the complex dynamics of family relationships and their impact on individuals and society, contrasting with the functionalist perspective that examines the family's contributions to the maintenance of the social system.

How does the Marxist perspective on the family differ from the functionalist perspective?

The Marxist perspective, as presented by Friedrich Engels and Eli Zaretsky, views the family as an institution that has evolved alongside the development of private property and the state. They argue that the family serves to support capitalism by producing and maintaining cheap labor and serving as a stabilizing force in society. This contrasts with the functionalist perspective that focuses on the family's contributions to the maintenance of the social system.

How do feminist perspectives on the family challenge traditional views of family life?

Feminist perspectives, such as Marxist and radical feminist perspectives, highlight the harmful effects of family life on women and challenge widely held beliefs about male dominance in families. They focus on power relationships within the family and the economic contribution of women's domestic labor. By doing so, they offer a critical view of the family that questions the image of family life as harmonious and loving.