Theories on state policies Flashcards
Functionalism
Have a positive view on social policies , they see it for the good of all as social policies help families perform their function more effectively and make family life better for all its members,
FLETCHER argues that the introduction of the welfare state with housing, health and education policies takes the pressure off the family so the family can concentrate on its 4 main functions. For example, the creation of the NHS in 1984 by the Labour gov, enables the family to focus on emotional care of its members as the doctors take care of their medical needs.
Evaluation of Functionalism
assume that social policies benefit everyone in the family equally, while Feminists say social policies benefit men more than women. Secondly, Functionalists assumes that social policies are making family life better, while Marxists say they making it worse, e.g cutting benefits make poor people poorer.
Donzelot (sociologist)
Negative view of social policies; he sees them as a form of state power and control over families. Uses Foucault’s ideas to argues that agencies carry out surveillance of the family. For example, social workers, teachers, doctors etc. carry out policing of families with the aim of ‘improving them’. Poorer families are more likely to be seen as ‘problem’ families and policed more.
Evaluation of Donzelot
fails to explain who benefits from the work of these professionals
New Right
negative view of social policies because they argue it encourages and enables social change which threatens the traditional nuclear family. For example, ALMOND argues that laws have increased divorce, same-sex partnerships, lone parenthood, etc. Secondly, tax laws mean that dual earner couples pay less tax than couples where only one partner works which discourages the traditional NF with segregated roles.
MURRAY argues the NF is self-reliant and capable of taking care of its members so the state should not interfere. MURRAY argues that benefits provide perverse incentives - they reward anti-social behaviour by encouraging young single women to get pregnant as they’ll get a council house and child benefit. Fathers abandons the responsibilities of providing for them as they know the state will do so through the benefit system so become reliant on unemployed benefits themselves, their sons grow up without a positive role model and turn to crime, girls follow their mum’s example and get pregnant.
This creates a dependency culture-whereby generation after generation of individuals become dependent on the state for support rather being self-reliant.This creates dysfunctional families who are incapable of performing their functions properly.
Evaluation of NR
Feminists say that the NR is trying to re-establish the old patriarchal order because NR assumes that the patriarchal NF is ‘natural’ rather than socially constructed.
ABBOTT and WALLACE argue that cutting benefits would make poor families even poorer.
Feminism
Negative view of social policies bec they see them as maintaining patriarchy
LAND argues that social policies help maintain women’s subordinate position and encourage a particular type of family structure (nf). Social policies assume the ideal family type is the patriarchal nf and so support it over other family types. For example, social policies on taxation favour married couples which encourage couples to get married and discourages cohabitation.
LEONARD argues that even when social policies appear to support women, they still reinforce the traditional patriarchal nf. For example, maternity leave enables women to receive medical care and recover from childbirth, but at the same time they are based on the assumption that childcare is the mother’s responsibility. Also, maternity leave payments are very low which makes women financially dependent on their partners.
Evaluation of Feminism
not all laws are patriarchal for example Equal Pay Act and Sex Discrimination Act protect women’s rights in the workplace.
HOWEVER, Feminists would say that employment laws are not being enforced, e.g women still earn 18% less than men so the Equal Pay Act is not actually ensuring equality in the workplace.
Marxism
negative view on social policies because they serve the interests of the r/c and capitalism. e,g pensions are low because retired workers are of no use to capitalists. Free education, health care and benefits are the result of class struggle. They are concessions the state had to make to the w/c, fearing the consequences if they did nothing to improve the w/c living standards. In reality, these social policies are just a smoke-screen making life appear better e.g free NHS and state education are both paid for by the workers' taxes so are not actually free and private education is better than state ed so r/c children benefit more, while the 'free' health care is only there to cure the workers so they can go back to work.
evaluation of Marxism
it is deterministic - it assumes all aspects of family life are determined by economic forces. The approach focuses on one particular family and doesnt deal adequately with alt. forms.
1979-1997 New Right influence of the Conservative gov
Introduced many policies to protect the trad Nf: e.g
Banned the promotion of homosexuality in schools- it banned teachers from talking about it and wasn’t on the curriculum or PSHE lessons
