The Patriarchal Family
Assess the view that it no longer makes sense to talk about the patriarchal family
Many years ago families were always considered male dominated due to the superior role men used to play in the family. However since the 1950s and onwards this has changed. Families are now becoming a lot more female orientated. Women now have close to equal rights as men do which means a females role in the family is much more higher than what it used to be. This shows that women have a lot more power than they used to have. Some sociologists say that due to this equality, women control the way a household operates and that modern day families are no longer male dominated.
Some sociologists are in favour of the patriarchal family; these are functionalists and new rights. Both sociologists argue that the traditional nuclear family is the best family type. Whereas other sociologists such as Radical feminists are against the patriarchal family as they believe that the patriarchal family is the source of the exploitation of women. However, some sociologists have a neutral view of the patriarchal family. These sociologists are postmodernists who believe that there is more choice and equality nowadays however oppression of women is still present and liberal feminists; who believe that there is still oppression of women however it is gradually being overcome.
Functionalists believe that the best family type is the nuclear family where the male has a dominant character. Parsons' distinguishes between the male instrumental role and the female expressive role. The male instrumental role is the role of a man in the family who is the breadwinner; the person who earns the money so that family can function properly. The female expressive role is the role of the mother in the family who has a nurturing role; Parsons gives the mother of the family the expressing role as women give birth so they will be more suited to this role and that males are more pratical so they will suit the
Many years ago families were always considered male dominated due to the superior role men used to play in the family. However since the 1950s and onwards this has changed. Families are now becoming a lot more female orientated. Women now have close to equal rights as men do which means a females role in the family is much more higher than what it used to be. This shows that women have a lot more power than they used to have. Some sociologists say that due to this equality, women control the way a household operates and that modern day families are no longer male dominated.
Some sociologists are in favour of the patriarchal family; these are functionalists and new rights. Both sociologists argue that the traditional nuclear family is the best family type. Whereas other sociologists such as Radical feminists are against the patriarchal family as they believe that the patriarchal family is the source of the exploitation of women. However, some sociologists have a neutral view of the patriarchal family. These sociologists are postmodernists who believe that there is more choice and equality nowadays however oppression of women is still present and liberal feminists; who believe that there is still oppression of women however it is gradually being overcome.
Functionalists believe that the best family type is the nuclear family where the male has a dominant character. Parsons' distinguishes between the male instrumental role and the female expressive role. The male instrumental role is the role of a man in the family who is the breadwinner; the person who earns the money so that family can function properly. The female expressive role is the role of the mother in the family who has a nurturing role; Parsons gives the mother of the family the expressing role as women give birth so they will be more suited to this role and that males are more pratical so they will suit the