Evaluate the view that power is shared equally in the family.
CAMBRIDGE
A level and AS level
2023
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Introduction
Introduce the essay topic: Evaluate the view that power is shared equally in the family. Briefly outline the key arguments for and against equal power sharing within families. State your thesis statement: whether you believe power is equally shared in the family or not.
Arguments in favor of equal power sharing
Shared financial decision-making
Discuss how professional women often take on greater financial decision-making when the male partner is unemployed. Link this to changing gender roles and economic independence.
Domestic violence against both men and women
Highlight official statistics showing domestic violence against both genders. Discuss how this might suggest a shift towards more balanced power dynamics, though acknowledging limitations of this interpretation.
Women's economic independence and increased power
Explain how women's economic independence has led to a more equal balance of power in family relationships. Discuss how this can challenge traditional patriarchal structures.
Negotiated relationships and shared roles
Explain how modern relationships are more negotiated, with less emphasis on imposed roles. Discuss how this might lead to greater power sharing.
Shifting social attitudes and decline of patriarchy
Analyze how changing social attitudes contribute to a decrease in patriarchal influence within families. Discuss the impact of feminist movements and increasing awareness of gender equality.
Children's voice in family decisions
Discuss how children are increasingly involved in family decision-making, potentially contributing to a more democratic and equal power distribution.
Choice in domestic roles
Explain how women's choice to adopt domestic roles, rather than having them imposed upon them, suggests a more equal power dynamic. Contrast this with traditional views of women's roles.
Arguments against equal power sharing
Unequal financial decision-making
Discuss how men still tend to make major financial decisions, even if women are employed, as men are often perceived as primary breadwinners. Explain how this perpetuates a power imbalance.
Patriarchal influence on family dynamics
Explain how societal patriarchy filters into family structures, leading to male dominance and exploitation of women. Discuss how this undermines equal power sharing.
Patriarchal expectations and limitations on women
Analyze how women are often expected to fulfill traditional roles as wives and mothers, limiting their opportunities for personal and professional growth. Explain how this perpetuates male financial power.
Cultural diversity and gender inequality
Discuss the influence of cultural diversity on gender inequality and power distribution within the family. Explain how different cultures may have different norms and expectations regarding gender roles and power.
Middle-class women's deference to husbands
Highlight how many middle-class women still defer to their husbands on major decisions. Discuss potential reasons for this, including social pressure and economic considerations.
Prevalence of male-on-female domestic violence
Discuss how the majority of reported domestic violence cases involve men as perpetrators and women as victims. Explain how this reflects underlying power imbalances within many families.
Conclusion
Summarize the key arguments for and against equal power sharing within families. Reiterate your thesis statement and provide your final evaluation of the view that power is shared equally. Consider the complexity of family dynamics and the role of various factors, including social, economic, and cultural influences.
Supporting evidence and theories
Include relevant sociological theories and evidence to support your arguments. For example, you can discuss:
- Functionalism: How traditional gender roles contribute to family stability.
- Marxist feminism: How capitalism perpetuates gender inequality in the family.
- Liberal feminism: The importance of equal opportunities and legal rights for women.
- Radical feminism: How patriarchy systematically oppresses women in all aspects of society, including the family.
- Rational choice theory: How individuals make decisions based on self-interest and maximizing benefits.
- Empirical studies: Research findings on power distribution within families, such as those by Pahl & Vogler, Edgell, and Dobash & Dobash.
Relevant concepts
Use relevant sociological concepts to enrich your analysis, such as:
- Joint conjugal roles: Shared responsibilities and decision-making in the family.
- Segregated conjugal roles: Traditional division of labor between husband and wife.
- New man: A male who rejects traditional patriarchal roles and embraces more egalitarian relationships.
- Gender scripts: Socially constructed expectations and behaviors associated with different genders.
- Gendered socialization: The process by which individuals learn and internalize gender norms and expectations.
Evaluate the view that power is shared equally in the family.
The concept of power within the family is complex and multifaceted, often sparking debate about whether it is distributed equally between partners. While societal shifts suggest a trend towards shared power, traditional gender roles and patriarchal structures continue to influence family dynamics, making absolute equality an ongoing pursuit rather than a firmly established reality.
Advocates for increased equality within the family point to several trends. The rise of dual-income households and women's economic independence have undoubtedly shifted the power balance. As women become significant financial contributors, decision-making processes tend to become more egalitarian. Studies by Pahl & Vogler (1993) support this, suggesting a move towards more equal financial decision-making in dual-earner families. Additionally, Giddens' (1992) concept of the 'pure relationship' emphasizes love, equality, and negotiation, indicating a shift away from traditional, patriarchal structures.
Furthermore, changing social attitudes regarding gender roles have led to the emergence of the 'new man', who actively participates in domestic chores and childcare. This challenges Parsons' (1955) functionalist view of segregated conjugal roles, where men are primarily breadwinners and women homemakers. Young & Willmott's (1973) study of symmetrical families, characterized by shared tasks and decision-making, further contributes to the argument for increased equality.
However, dismissing the persistence of patriarchal influence within the family would be remiss. Despite advancements, men often retain dominance in financial decisions, controlling resources and shaping family spending patterns. Edgell's (1980) research showed that men were more likely to make decisions about significant expenditures, while women controlled budgets for everyday necessities. This reinforces the idea that while women may have gained some financial agency, men often retain control over 'important' decisions.
Moreover, the pervasiveness of domestic violence, primarily perpetrated by men against women, as highlighted by Dobash & Dobash (1979), exposes the dark side of power imbalances within families. While statistics show violence against men, the severity and frequency of violence against women remain significantly higher, demonstrating the vulnerability of women within supposedly intimate relationships. This evidence aligns with radical feminist perspectives like Delphy & Leonard's (1992), who argue that family life inherently benefits men by exploiting women's unpaid domestic labor and emotional work.
Furthermore, cultural factors can significantly impact family power dynamics. Hardhill et al. (1997) found that cultural expectations regarding gender roles influence decision-making within families, with some cultures maintaining more traditional, patriarchal structures, limiting women's autonomy.
In conclusion, while the notion of equal power within the family represents an ideal many strive for, the reality is far more nuanced. Undoubtedly, progress has been made, driven by women's economic empowerment and evolving social norms. However, the enduring influence of patriarchy, evidenced through economic disparities, domestic violence statistics, and cultural expectations, demonstrates that achieving genuine equality within families remains an ongoing process, requiring continuous effort to dismantle deeply ingrained societal structures that perpetuate gendered power imbalances.
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Evaluate the view that power is shared equally in the family.
In support of the view:
- Professional women tend to take on greater financial decision making where the man is unemployed.
- Official statistics show high incidences of domestic violence against both men and women.
- Increase in women’s economic independence has improved their status in the family – led to greater power sharing in family relationships.
- Relationships are becoming more negotiated, meaning there is less power imbalance as roles are not imposed.
- Changing social attitudes mean families are becoming less patriarchal.
- Children increasingly have a voice in family decisions.
- Women exercise choice in adopting the domestic role – it is not imposed upon them.
Against the view:
- Men still tend to make the important financial decisions as they are primarily the breadwinner/women primarily are left with decision making over trivial issues e.g. food shopping.
- Patriarchy in wider society filters through to the family – this perpetuates male domination/power/exploitation of women.
- Patriarchal expectation of wife/mother to fulfill traditional roles, limiting her opportunities e.g. made to feel guilty for neglecting children if she pursues work – perpetuates male financial power as the breadwinner.
- Link between cultural diversity and gender inequality influencing power distribution within the family.
- Middle-class women generally defer to husbands on major decisions.
- Most reported domestic violence is conducted by males against their female partners.
Supporting evidence/theory:
- Leighton, Willmott & Young
- Beck
- liberal feminism
- Kaufman post-modernism
- Giddens
- Edgell
- Pahl & Vogler
- Hardhill et al
- Dobash & Dobash
- radical feminism
- Delphy
- functionalism
- Marxist feminism
- Oakley
- rational choice theory
Relevant concepts:
- New man/father
- joint/integrated conjugal roles
- symmetrical family
- pester-power
- Biological determinism
- capitalism
- gendered socialization
- segregated conjugal roles
- gender scripts
The above content is indicative and other relevant approaches to the question should be awarded appropriately.