Families and social policy Flashcards
(41 cards)
what are social policies?
plans and actions of state agencies
what is China’s one-child policy?
- 1970’s to 2015
- government discouraged couples from having more than 1 kid
what is communist romania?
- series of policies introduced to try drive up brth rates
- restricted contraceptions and abortion
- lowered legal marriage age to15
what is the Nazi family policy?
- purseued a twofold policy
- encourgaed the jealthy and supposedly ‘racially pure’ to breed a ‘master race’
- kept women out of the workforce
what are democratic societies?
the family is private sphereof life in which the government does not interfere
what is the functionlist perspective on families and social policy?
- society is built on harmony consensus
- policies help families to perform their functions more effectively
what does Flecher (1996) argue about the functionalist perspective on families and social policy?
- introduction of health, education and housing policies since the industrial revolution has led tp gradual development of a welfare state that supports the family in performing its functions
what are the 2 criticisms of the functionalist perspective on families and social policy?
- assumes all members of the family benefit equally
- assumes their is a ‘march of progress’
what does Donzelot (1977) state about the relationship between the family and state policies?
- sees policy as a form of state power and control over families
what did Fouclaut’s (1976) find about the relationship between the family and state policies?
- power is not just something held by government
- spread throughout society and is found within all relationships
what does Condry (2007) state about the relationship between the family and state policies?
- state seeks to control and regulate family life by imposing compulsary parenting orders through the courts
- parents of ‘troubled’ kids may ne forced to attend parenting classes
how do marxists and feminists criticise Donzelot’s (1977) view of family and social policy?
- fails to identify who benefits from such policies of surveillance
- marxists argue social policies operate in the interest of capitalist class
- feminists argue that men are the main beneficiaries
what is the New Right perspective on famlies and social policy?
- in favour of the nuclear family
- naturally self-reliant and capable of caring and providing for its members
what does Almond (2006) argue abot the impact of state policy on the nuclear family?
- laws make divorce easier
- introduction of civil partnerships send out the message that heterosexual marriages are no longer superior
- tax laws discriminate against conventional families with a sole breadwinner
what does Murrey (1984) argue about lone parents, welfare policy and dependency culture?
- fathers see that that the state will maintain their children
- providing council housing to teen mums encourages teen girls to get pregnant
- growth of lone-parent families means more boys will grow up without a father figure
what are two factors that are threatened by the dependency culture?
- successful socialisation of the young
- maintenance of the work ethic among men
how does the new right perspective argue they will solve the impacts of dependency culture?
- cut welfare spending
- tighter restrictions on benefits
deny council housing to unmarried teen parents
taxes tht favour married couples
how do feminists argue against the new rights view of social policy?
attempt to justify a return to patriarchal nuclear families
how do Abbott and Wallace (1992) argue against the new rights view of social policy?
cutting benefits would drive mmore poor families into greater poverty
how does the new right’s view influence the conservative government (1979-1997)?
- banned the promotion of homosexuality by local authorities
- ban on teaching homosexuality as an acceptable family relationship
- set up the Child Support Agency (aka child support)
- gives children same rights, regardless of whether they were born to married or cohabiting couple
how does the new right’s view influence the new labour government (1997-2010)?
- saw married, heterosexual couple as the best environment for children
- inctroduces Parenting Orders for parents of young offenders
how did Silva and Smart (1999) find about what the new labour government rejected from the new right view?
- family’s shouldnt just have 1 sole (male) breadwinner
- recognise more women now go to work
what new labour policies did Chester (1985) describe around the neo-conventional family?
- longer maternity leave
- Working Families Tax Credit
- the New Deal, helping lone parents to return to work
what 3 policies did the ne labour government introduce that rejects the new right view of social policy?
- civil partnerships for same-sex couples
- giving married and unmarried couples the same rights for adoption
- outlawing discrimination on grounds of sexuality
