Assess the view that the Nuclear Family can have a negative effect on the individuals within the family

An example is the case study of Jane conducted by R.D Laing. Through subtle oppression and destructive parenting in isolation, Jane adopted worrying behaviourisms that are not natural. For instance, sitting motionless and only eating when actually fed, and development of a mental condition which has her barred into a dream world which consists of a game of tennis. This is believed to be symbolic of the troublesome interactions in the family and therefore, caused by them.

E. Leach, an anthropologist, believe that the modern nuclear family as being a malady and source of extensive problems that we’re not present in the pre-industrial family. He claims that the modern family fails to provide adequate emotional support while provoking internal as well as external conflict by promoting introversion and localising stress which eventually gets out of control. External conflict is heightened by the nuclear family creating barriers to the world; a privacy which can lead to violence.

Violence in the family is a controversial subject today and linked to individual relationship deterioration within the family environment. 3 Children a day die from abuse-related injuries, of which 82% were under 5 when they died. It’s estimated that 10% of children have, will, or are suffering abuse mostly at the hands of their natural parents. Women are also likely to be victims of domestic violence. Dobash & Dobash (1980) compiled statistics on how badly, how regularly, and why domestic violence arose which uncovered worrying frequency and force of attacks (1.37 million cases of abuse reported).

Feminists and Marxists support that the nuclear family is a bad thing. The former sees it as a tool of female oppression by placing the women in a serving roll within a patriarchal ideological social construct. This is seen as an infringement of a woman’s personal liberty, and is therefore damaging to be part of. Marxists such as Zaretsky (1967) argues that the family is the tool of capitalism rather than a natural social construct; it is a recent artificial phenomenon, which through service to the male worker, will ultimately serve capitalism. The fact that the nuclear family is seen as privatised and isolated is a reflection of continual alienation that the family suffers in the hands of fascist society. Marxists say personal fulfilment is attained not by privacy and limitation to the family, but by breaking down the walls to public life through proper socialisation.

In conclusion, it does seem that the family is given too much time by itself. There is no doubt that this seclusion, in close proximity with other family members amidst stressful modern day life, can result in violence and psychological destruction over extended periods of conflict. However, the family (in this situation) has the ability to value their closeness and develop an environment of mutual trust and support which can benefit individuals. Ultimately it will depend on the attitudes and interactions within the family, personally I would prefer a society where the family has less power to limit the growth of its members and emphasis in life is placed on outside socialisation.