Three Major Theories of Family

Functionalist theory sees the family as absolutely essential to society's survival. Think of it like a vital organ in the human body - without it, everything falls apart! Murdock identified four key functions that every family performs, whilst Parsons focused on two main roles.

Marxist theory takes a completely different view, arguing that families mainly exist to keep capitalism running smoothly. Zaretsky believed families create conflict between social classes and help maintain the divide between rich and poor through inheritance and socialisation.

Feminist theory focuses on how families can oppress women through patriarchy. Sociologists like Oakley and Delphy & Leonard argue that women do most of the unpaid domestic work whilst men benefit from this arrangement.

Quick Tip: Remember these theories by their focus - Functionalists love families, Marxists think they serve capitalism, and Feminists worry about gender inequality.

Each theory offers valuable insights, but they also have serious limitations. Functionalists might ignore family problems like abuse, whilst Marxists and Feminists can overlook the positive aspects of family life. The reality is probably somewhere in between - families can be both supportive and problematic at the same time.