Assess the View That the Nuclear Family Has a Negative Impact on Its Members

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Assess the view that the nuclear family has a negative effect on its members The nuclear family is a well known social unit within the world consisting of one man, one woman who are married with around two children. This is a typical type of family within society, this essay will depict the view that the nuclear family has a negative effect on its members. Feminists across the spectrum would push considerable argument that the nuclear family is bad for them. Feminists believe that male patriarchy is how societies are run meaning they are male dominated, with both Radical and Marxist feminists tending to hold the belief that the family is one of the main areas where women are oppressed. One important point to be made is the delegation of domestic labour. While men typically take on the responsibility of being the breadwinner, the one who goes to work to earn the income that supports the survival of the family, women are left with pretty much if not all of the housework. Women tend to cook dinner for both the husband and the children, all of the cleaning be it clothing or the general mess of the home and are responsible for childcare. Emotional labour is also very unbalanced. Radical feminists argue that its the wives and not the husbands who are looked to in times of distress or when problems occur, Radical feminists would describe women as more likely to listen, to agree, to understand, to excuse and to flatter. Marxist feminists (who believe capitalism to be the root cause of female oppression) would agree and say women would be the ones to give the emotional support when men are frustrated from the stresses produced by working for capitalism. Being a slave to unpaid domestic labour, married women are usually financially dependant on their husbands, although women may be able to pick up a part time job, the responsibilities of looking after the family usually
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