Marxists argue that the nuclear family exists to raise workers for capitalists. Which option reflects this view?

• A. Functionalists
• B. Marxists
• C. Feminists
• D. Interactionists

Answer: (B)

The main idea being tested is how some sociologists see the family as a system that helps capitalism reproduce a workforce. Marxists argue that the nuclear family functions to raise and socialise children into accepting the rules of capitalist society, teaching them to be obedient, punctual, and willing to work for wages. The family also supports the economy by providing unpaid domestic labor, especially in the care and maintenance of the next generation, which frees up others to participate in paid work. This arrangement keeps the capitalist system going by producing a ready supply of compliant workers and by sustaining gendered divisions of labor that benefit capitalists. Other perspectives focus on different angles—functionalists emphasize stability and value consensus, feminists highlight patriarchy and gender inequality, and interactionists look at everyday meanings and interactions—so they don’t frame the family as a mechanism for reproducing workers for capitalists.