Parsons claimed that “the nuclear family system is uniquely well adapted to the needs of industrial society.” (Bilton et al, 2002) This argument came in two parts. The first part argued that the nuclear family is ideal for economic differentiation. This meant that if a family had many different occupations, as in an extended family, this would cause conflict as there would be different incomes and lifestyles. This would be avoided in the nuclear family as this would consist of a main breadwinner who would also be head of the family and would therefore make the important decisions. The nuclear family is a small enough unit which can be easily mobile if needed. The second part of Parsons argument involved the values in economic and public activities and those in family relationships. The values in each of these conflict each other. For example; in the family we grow to learn that it is expected that everyone should be loved no matter what they look like or how intelligent they are. In the workplace it is the complete opposite as employees are paid and promoted on merit. Parsons argued that such conflicts are avoided with the nuclear family as they are separated from extended kin and the father is the main breadwinner so only he would have contact with the public sphere.
Parsons also argued that the family has two basic functions and the nuclear family is ideal to perform these essential functions. The first function is the primary socialisation of children and this is where the family moulds a young child to the needs of society. The second is the stabilisation of adult personalities and this is where the family provides the emotional support which is needed in adulthood to cope with the stress of everyday life. It also provides an emphasis on marital relationships.
There are many criticisms of the functionalist view of the family and especially the nuclear family. They argue that it is only the ruling class that benefit from the family as the family raises the future workers with values and beliefs that will ensure social reproduction. Marxists say that the family serves capitalism and Frederick Engels stated that the nuclear family emerged with capitalism.
With just one husband and one wife then there is no question over the paternity of the children and who would inherit his wealth. Engels argued that the nuclear family came about due to capitalism and the need for restricted sexual activity to resolve the problem of property inheritance. He claims that the nuclear family serves the requirements of the capitalist economy and also prevents women from equality both inside and outside the home as the men need more control over women to be sure of the paternity of their children.
Eli Zaretsky believes that the family helps perpetuate capitalism by protecting workers from the unruly realities of capitalism. Zaretsky’s view was that the family spends the money they earn on the products of capitalism and so the family is a major prop up to the capitalist system. He argues that the domestic labour of housewives who also provide the future workers for society is just another way in which the capitalist system is benefited as the housewives work is unpaid.
Marxist feminists believe that the position of women within society and the role they play within the capitalist system is unequal. They have four main arguments against the nuclear family. The first being that the family is patriarchal and the men dominate family relationships. They also argue that a women’s domestic labour serves the needs of the capitalist economy. By cooking, washing his clothes and doing other housewife duties the woman makes her husband a more productive worker. This is to no cost at all to the employer. Thirdly Marxist feminists argue that the family is seen as an ideal and they reject the functionalist view that the family is beneficial for society as a whole. They also argue that the family is an obstacle to gender equality in employment. Women are disadvantaged as they have childcare and domestic responsibilities. Feminists state that women perform unpaid work in these roles.
Edmund Leach also criticised the family. He studied families which were more of an extended family and decided the nuclear family is isolated from kin and the community because of the many demands made on them. Leach claimed that the nuclear family will always have conflict within it as its members demand too much from each other and also demand too much from the community. A family with continuous conflict is not ideal for any society.
We can see the functionalist arguments that support the view that the nuclear family is best equipped for modern societies. Murdock found evidence of the nuclear family in almost all of the societies he studied and believes the above argument is proved because it is so universal. Parsons believed that the nuclear family was ideal for the industrial society which we live in today. However we can see that there are many criticisms of the functionalist view of the nuclear family. Marxists such as Engels and Zaretsky believe that functionalists only see the good side of the family and ignore conflict which is present within the nuclear family. Marxist feminists believe that the nuclear family is patriarchal and exploits women.
