policy Flashcards
(5 cards)
Functionalism
Functionalists see the state as acting in the interests of society as a whole.
Policies help families perform their functions more effectively.
Fletcher (1966) argues the NHS services help the family to be better able to take care of its members when they are sick.
Feminism
Feminists argue that state policy helps to maintain women’s subordinate position in the family.
Policies see the ideal family as a nuclear family with separate gender roles. (Land, 1978)
Leonard (1978): Policies may be seen to support women but in fact are reinforcing patriarchy, i.e. maternity leave and childcare allowance
Marxism
The state and its policies serve capitalism, e.g. the low level of state pensions could be seen as evidence that once workers are too old to produce profits, they are ‘maintained’ at the lowest possible cost.
policies give capitalism a caring face
The New Right
See the nuclear family as the best family type, considering gender roles as natural.
If roles are performed correctly then the family will be self- reliant and the welfare state will not need to be involved in family life.
Diversity has created a dependency culture.
Almond (2006) –policies such as divorce and gay marriages undermine the idea of lifelong commitment = heterosexual marriage is not superior.
Support policies such as:
1. tighter benefit restrictions
2. better taxes for married couples
3. Child support agency- making absent fathers pay for their children
Donzelot
He believes that social policy is a way for the state to control families.
Uses the idea of Foucault and his work on surveillance (the idea that in society we are constantly being watched)
Donzelot applies this to the family
He argues that certain professional (social workers, health visitors, doctors and police) carry out surveillance of the family for the state
Donzelot calls this ‘policing the family’
Surveillance occurs more in certain types of families - e.g WC may have to go to the doctors more and therefore watched more by public services
