Marxism and social policy Flashcards
(8 cards)
What do Marxists believe about social policies.
Primarily serve the interests of the ruling class and help to maintain capitalism not address inequalities.
What do Marxists believe?
The state exists to protect the interests of the bourgeoisie not the proletariat.
Social policies act as a form of ideological control.
(Enforce R/C ideological functions) - Making inequality seems natural or inevitable.
Welfare policies prevent revolution by offering minimal support to the poor rather than addressing structural inequalities. (Capitalism causing poverty)
What does Marx say?
Social polices are tools used by the ruling class to maintain their dominance.
What does Althusser say?
The state uses ideological state apparatuses (different institutions in society) to reinforce capitalist values.
What does Gramsci say?
The ruling class maintains power through (Hegemony) shaping public beliefs to accept capitalism.
(One group having dominance over another)
(Reinforcing their ideals onto that worser group)
What are some examples of Marxist critiques of social policy?
Welfare benefits - Seen to prevent working-class rebellion rather than actually reducing inequality.
Educational policies - Reinforce class-inequalities by favouring m/c students through cultural capital.
Crime policies - Focus on punishing w/c offenders while ignoring corporate crime.
(Dont want to make upper-classes look bad to portray w/c as criminals) (Police operate more in w/c areas)
Housing policies - Often fail to provide adequate support for the poor maintaining class divisions.
What do Marxists say about these policies?
They do not challenge capitalism (as suggested by the social democrats)
They reinforce existing inequalities.
Pearce - Social policies prevent revolution by giving capitalism a caring face.
What are weakness of the Marxist view?
Overly deterministic - Assumes all policies serve the ruling class.
Ignores positive impacts - Some policies have improved w/c lives. (NHS - Free education)
Fails to consider agency - Suggest individuals are passive victims of capitalism rather than active agents of change.
