What are the different types of families? » Sociological views - New Right views on family diversity

What you'll learn this session

Study time: 30 minutes

The New Right perspective on family diversity
Key New Right thinkers and their views
How the New Right views different family structures
The concept of the 'traditional nuclear family' according to the New Right
Criticisms of the New Right perspective
How to evaluate New Right views in exam answers

Introduction to New Right Views on Family Diversity

The New Right is a political perspective that emerged in the 1970s and 1980s that has strong views about family life and how society should be organised. New Right thinkers believe that the traditional nuclear family is the ideal family structure and that family diversity can lead to social problems.

Key Definitions:

New Right: A conservative political perspective that emphasises traditional values, free markets and limited government intervention.
Traditional nuclear family: A family consisting of a married heterosexual couple with children where the father is the breadwinner and the mother is the homemaker.
Family diversity: The variety of family structures that exist in society beyond the traditional nuclear family.

Core Beliefs of the New Right

The New Right has several key beliefs about families and society:

★ Traditional Family as the Cornerstone

The New Right sees the traditional nuclear family as the foundation of a stable society. They believe this family structure is 'natural' and best for raising children and maintaining social order.

⚠ Concerns About Family Diversity

New Right thinkers worry that increasing family diversity (like single-parent families, same-sex families and cohabiting couples) threatens social stability and leads to problems like crime and educational underachievement.

Key New Right Thinkers

Several influential thinkers have shaped New Right views on the family:

Charles Murray

Murray is known for his concept of the 'underclass' – a group he claims is trapped in poverty due to welfare dependency and family breakdown. He argues:

Single-parent families (especially those headed by mothers) create a cycle of dependency
Boys raised without fathers lack male role models and are more likely to engage in crime
Welfare benefits encourage family breakdown by making it financially possible for women to have children without a male provider

Patricia Morgan

Morgan focuses on the importance of marriage and the negative effects of divorce:

Marriage provides stability for children and adults
Divorce and single parenthood lead to poorer outcomes for children
The state should promote marriage through policies like tax benefits for married couples

Case Study Focus: The Centre for Social Justice

Founded by former Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith in 2004, the Centre for Social Justice is a UK think tank that promotes New Right ideas about family. It has argued that family breakdown costs the UK billions of pounds each year through increased welfare spending, crime and educational failure. The CSJ advocates policies that support the traditional family, including marriage tax allowances and relationship education in schools.

New Right Views on Different Family Types

The New Right has specific views on different family structures:

👪 Nuclear Family

Seen as ideal and natural. Provides clear gender roles, stability for children and economic self-sufficiency. The father as breadwinner and mother as caregiver is viewed as the optimal arrangement.

👩 Single-Parent Families

Viewed as problematic, especially single mothers. New Right thinkers argue these families lead to poor outcomes for children, particularly boys, who lack male role models and discipline.

💑 Same-Sex Families

Often criticised as unnatural and unable to provide children with both male and female role models. Some New Right thinkers argue these families prioritise adult desires over children's needs.

The New Right's Explanation for Family Diversity

According to the New Right, family diversity has increased because:

Welfare dependency: Benefits make it financially possible to form families without a male breadwinner
Declining morality: Society has moved away from traditional religious values
Individualism: People prioritise personal happiness over family responsibility
Feminism: The women's movement has undermined traditional gender roles

Criticisms of New Right Views

Many sociologists criticise the New Right perspective:

⛔ Feminist Critiques

Feminists argue that the New Right ignores power imbalances within traditional families. The 'ideal' nuclear family often involves women's unpaid domestic labour and can hide issues like domestic violence. Feminists also point out that many single mothers work hard to support their families.

🔬 Evidence-Based Critiques

Research suggests family structure alone doesn't determine outcomes for children. Factors like poverty, education and social support are more important. Studies show children in diverse family types can thrive with adequate resources and support.

Research Spotlight: Gingerbread Study

Gingerbread, a UK charity supporting single-parent families, conducted research showing that children from single-parent families can achieve similar outcomes to those from two-parent families when controlling for income and resources. This challenges the New Right assumption that family structure alone determines children's life chances.

The New Right in Context

It's important to understand that the New Right perspective is just one of several sociological views on family diversity:

Functionalists also value the nuclear family but are less critical of diversity
Marxists see the nuclear family as serving capitalism rather than being 'natural'
Feminists critique traditional family structures as potentially oppressive to women
Postmodernists celebrate family diversity as reflecting individual choice and changing society

Applying New Right Views in Exams

When writing about the New Right in your exams, remember to:

Clearly explain their key beliefs about the traditional nuclear family
Use specific examples of New Right thinkers like Murray and Morgan
Show how they view different family structures
Include criticisms of the New Right perspective
Evaluate whether their views are supported by evidence

Remember that a balanced answer will present the New Right view alongside other perspectives on family diversity. This shows the examiner you understand that sociological views on families are diverse and contested.