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Understanding Family Policy in Sociology

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Cece ๐Ÿน

@cecexstudies

Sociology of family policy explores how government decisions influence family... Show more

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Sociology: Family Policy
The One-Child Policy

The effects of the one-child policy are that:
- This has increased that ageing population mea

Population Control Policies

China's one-child policy had far-reaching consequences on Chinese society. It created an ageing population with fewer workers to support them, while also leading families to abandon baby girls since boys were viewed as better financial providers. Many women faced forced abortions or had to flee their villages to avoid punishment.

The policy has since evolved into a two-child policy, primarily to address the gender imbalance created by the original restrictions. This shows how governments sometimes need to adjust policies when unintended consequences emerge.

Romania took the opposite approach under Communist ruler Nicolae Ceausescu, who banned contraception and abortion to rapidly increase the population. This devastating policy resulted in approximately 10,000 women dying from illegal abortion complications, with many more permanently injured.

Did you know? After Romania legalized abortion in 1989, an "abortion culture" developed with the highest rate in Europe - 3.2 abortions for every birth in 1990. Today it's around 0.4 compared to the UK's 0.2.

Sociology: Family Policy
The One-Child Policy

The effects of the one-child policy are that:
- This has increased that ageing population mea

Perspectives On Social Policy

Functionalists view society as built on harmony and shared values. They believe the government acts in everyone's interest, creating policies that help families perform their functions better and improve life for all members. According to Fletcher (1966), policies like the NHS have developed a welfare state that supports families.

The New Right takes a dramatically different position, strongly favoring traditional nuclear families. They believe many modern policies harm families by creating a dependency culture that undermines proper child socialization and male work ethic. They oppose easier divorce laws, civil partnerships, gay marriage, and rights for unmarried couples.

Instead, the New Right advocates for cutting welfare spending, restricting benefits, denying council housing to unmarried teenage mothers, introducing tax policies favoring married couples, and making absent fathers financially responsible for children.

Important contrast: While functionalists see policies as helpful, Jacques Donzelot offers a critical view, suggesting social policy actually functions as a form of state control over families.

Sociology: Family Policy
The One-Child Policy

The effects of the one-child policy are that:
- This has increased that ageing population mea

Competing Family Ideologies

Functionalists and the New Right fundamentally disagree about the state's role in family life. Functionalists believe state welfare policies benefit families and help them meet members' needs better. In contrast, the New Right argues that less state interference leads to greater self-reliance, which they view as essential for healthy families.

The New Right perspective faces significant criticism, especially from feminists who argue it attempts to justify returning to a nuclear family model that subordinated women. Critics also point out that the New Right wrongly assumes the nuclear family is "natural" (based on biological differences) rather than socially constructed.

There are practical criticisms too. Cutting benefits would likely make poor families even poorer and less self-reliantโ€”achieving the opposite of what the New Right claims to want. Critics also note that the New Right overlooks many existing policies that already support the nuclear family.

Think critically: These perspectives aren't just academic theoriesโ€”they actively shape the policies that affect real families. Which perspective do you think has most influenced family policy in Britain today?



We thought youโ€™d never ask...

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Where can I download the Knowunity app?

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Is Knowunity really free of charge?

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I think itโ€™s very much worth it and youโ€™ll end up using it a lot once you get the hang of it and even after looking at others notes you can still ask your Artificial intelligence buddy the question and ask to simplify it if you still donโ€™t get it!!! In the end I think itโ€™s worth it ๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ‘ โš ๏ธAlso DID I MENTION ITS FREEE YOU DONโ€™T HAVE TO PAY FOR ANYTHING AND STILL GET YOUR GRADES IN PERFECTLYโ—๏ธโ—๏ธโš ๏ธ

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Brad T

Android user

Not only did it help me find the answer but it also showed me alternative ways to solve it. I was horrible in math and science but now I have an a in both subjects. Thanks for the help๐Ÿค๐Ÿค

David K

iOS user

The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!

Sudenaz Ocak

Android user

In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.

Greenlight Bonnie

Android user

I found this app a couple years ago and it has only gotten better since then. I really love it because it can help with written questions and photo questions. Also, it can find study guides that other people have made as well as flashcard sets and practice tests. The free version is also amazing for students who might not be able to afford it. Would 100% recommend

Aubrey

iOS user

Best app if you're in Highschool or Junior high. I have been using this app for 2 school years and it's the best, it's good if you don't have anyone to help you with school work.๐Ÿ˜‹๐Ÿฉท๐ŸŽ€

Marco B

iOS user

THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜ฒ๐Ÿค‘๐Ÿ’—โœจ๐ŸŽ€๐Ÿ˜ฎ

Elisha

iOS user

This app is phenomenal down to the correct info and the various topics you can study! I greatly recommend it for people who struggle with procrastination and those who need homework help. It has been perfectly accurate for world 1 history as far as Iโ€™ve seen! Geometry too!

Paul T

iOS user

The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.

Stefan S

iOS user

This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.

Samantha Klich

Android user

Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.

Anna

iOS user

I think itโ€™s very much worth it and youโ€™ll end up using it a lot once you get the hang of it and even after looking at others notes you can still ask your Artificial intelligence buddy the question and ask to simplify it if you still donโ€™t get it!!! In the end I think itโ€™s worth it ๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ‘ โš ๏ธAlso DID I MENTION ITS FREEE YOU DONโ€™T HAVE TO PAY FOR ANYTHING AND STILL GET YOUR GRADES IN PERFECTLYโ—๏ธโ—๏ธโš ๏ธ

Thomas R

iOS user

Knowunity is the BEST app Iโ€™ve used in a minute. This is not an ai review or anything this is genuinely coming from a 7th grade student (I know 2011 im young) but dude this app is a 10/10 i have maintained a 3.8 gpa and have plenty of time for gaming. I love it and my mom is just happy I got good grades

Brad T

Android user

Not only did it help me find the answer but it also showed me alternative ways to solve it. I was horrible in math and science but now I have an a in both subjects. Thanks for the help๐Ÿค๐Ÿค

David K

iOS user

The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!

Sudenaz Ocak

Android user

In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.

Greenlight Bonnie

Android user

I found this app a couple years ago and it has only gotten better since then. I really love it because it can help with written questions and photo questions. Also, it can find study guides that other people have made as well as flashcard sets and practice tests. The free version is also amazing for students who might not be able to afford it. Would 100% recommend

Aubrey

iOS user

Best app if you're in Highschool or Junior high. I have been using this app for 2 school years and it's the best, it's good if you don't have anyone to help you with school work.๐Ÿ˜‹๐Ÿฉท๐ŸŽ€

Marco B

iOS user

THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜ฒ๐Ÿค‘๐Ÿ’—โœจ๐ŸŽ€๐Ÿ˜ฎ

Elisha

iOS user

This app is phenomenal down to the correct info and the various topics you can study! I greatly recommend it for people who struggle with procrastination and those who need homework help. It has been perfectly accurate for world 1 history as far as Iโ€™ve seen! Geometry too!

Paul T

iOS user

ย 

Sociology

โ€ข

384

โ€ข

Dec 3, 2025

โ€ข

3 pages

Understanding Family Policy in Sociology

user profile picture

Cece ๐Ÿน

@cecexstudies

Sociology of family policy explores how government decisions influence family structures and dynamics. From controlling population growth to shaping family values, these policies reflect deeper ideological positions about what families should look like and how they should function.

Sociology: Family Policy
The One-Child Policy

The effects of the one-child policy are that:
- This has increased that ageing population mea

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Population Control Policies

China's one-child policy had far-reaching consequences on Chinese society. It created an ageing population with fewer workers to support them, while also leading families to abandon baby girls since boys were viewed as better financial providers. Many women faced forced abortions or had to flee their villages to avoid punishment.

The policy has since evolved into a two-child policy, primarily to address the gender imbalance created by the original restrictions. This shows how governments sometimes need to adjust policies when unintended consequences emerge.

Romania took the opposite approach under Communist ruler Nicolae Ceausescu, who banned contraception and abortion to rapidly increase the population. This devastating policy resulted in approximately 10,000 women dying from illegal abortion complications, with many more permanently injured.

Did you know? After Romania legalized abortion in 1989, an "abortion culture" developed with the highest rate in Europe - 3.2 abortions for every birth in 1990. Today it's around 0.4 compared to the UK's 0.2.

Sociology: Family Policy
The One-Child Policy

The effects of the one-child policy are that:
- This has increased that ageing population mea

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Perspectives On Social Policy

Functionalists view society as built on harmony and shared values. They believe the government acts in everyone's interest, creating policies that help families perform their functions better and improve life for all members. According to Fletcher (1966), policies like the NHS have developed a welfare state that supports families.

The New Right takes a dramatically different position, strongly favoring traditional nuclear families. They believe many modern policies harm families by creating a dependency culture that undermines proper child socialization and male work ethic. They oppose easier divorce laws, civil partnerships, gay marriage, and rights for unmarried couples.

Instead, the New Right advocates for cutting welfare spending, restricting benefits, denying council housing to unmarried teenage mothers, introducing tax policies favoring married couples, and making absent fathers financially responsible for children.

Important contrast: While functionalists see policies as helpful, Jacques Donzelot offers a critical view, suggesting social policy actually functions as a form of state control over families.

Sociology: Family Policy
The One-Child Policy

The effects of the one-child policy are that:
- This has increased that ageing population mea

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Competing Family Ideologies

Functionalists and the New Right fundamentally disagree about the state's role in family life. Functionalists believe state welfare policies benefit families and help them meet members' needs better. In contrast, the New Right argues that less state interference leads to greater self-reliance, which they view as essential for healthy families.

The New Right perspective faces significant criticism, especially from feminists who argue it attempts to justify returning to a nuclear family model that subordinated women. Critics also point out that the New Right wrongly assumes the nuclear family is "natural" (based on biological differences) rather than socially constructed.

There are practical criticisms too. Cutting benefits would likely make poor families even poorer and less self-reliantโ€”achieving the opposite of what the New Right claims to want. Critics also note that the New Right overlooks many existing policies that already support the nuclear family.

Think critically: These perspectives aren't just academic theoriesโ€”they actively shape the policies that affect real families. Which perspective do you think has most influenced family policy in Britain today?

We thought youโ€™d never ask...

What is the Knowunity AI companion?

Our AI companion is specifically built for the needs of students. Based on the millions of content pieces we have on the platform we can provide truly meaningful and relevant answers to students. But its not only about answers, the companion is even more about guiding students through their daily learning challenges, with personalised study plans, quizzes or content pieces in the chat and 100% personalisation based on the students skills and developments.

Where can I download the Knowunity app?

You can download the app in the Google Play Store and in the Apple App Store.

Is Knowunity really free of charge?

That's right! Enjoy free access to study content, connect with fellow students, and get instant help โ€“ all at your fingertips.

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Most popular content: Sociological Functionalism

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Students love us โ€” and so will you.

4.9/5

App Store

4.8/5

Google Play

The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.

Stefan S

iOS user

This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.

Samantha Klich

Android user

Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.

Anna

iOS user

I think itโ€™s very much worth it and youโ€™ll end up using it a lot once you get the hang of it and even after looking at others notes you can still ask your Artificial intelligence buddy the question and ask to simplify it if you still donโ€™t get it!!! In the end I think itโ€™s worth it ๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ‘ โš ๏ธAlso DID I MENTION ITS FREEE YOU DONโ€™T HAVE TO PAY FOR ANYTHING AND STILL GET YOUR GRADES IN PERFECTLYโ—๏ธโ—๏ธโš ๏ธ

Thomas R

iOS user

Knowunity is the BEST app Iโ€™ve used in a minute. This is not an ai review or anything this is genuinely coming from a 7th grade student (I know 2011 im young) but dude this app is a 10/10 i have maintained a 3.8 gpa and have plenty of time for gaming. I love it and my mom is just happy I got good grades

Brad T

Android user

Not only did it help me find the answer but it also showed me alternative ways to solve it. I was horrible in math and science but now I have an a in both subjects. Thanks for the help๐Ÿค๐Ÿค

David K

iOS user

The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!

Sudenaz Ocak

Android user

In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.

Greenlight Bonnie

Android user

I found this app a couple years ago and it has only gotten better since then. I really love it because it can help with written questions and photo questions. Also, it can find study guides that other people have made as well as flashcard sets and practice tests. The free version is also amazing for students who might not be able to afford it. Would 100% recommend

Aubrey

iOS user

Best app if you're in Highschool or Junior high. I have been using this app for 2 school years and it's the best, it's good if you don't have anyone to help you with school work.๐Ÿ˜‹๐Ÿฉท๐ŸŽ€

Marco B

iOS user

THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜ฒ๐Ÿค‘๐Ÿ’—โœจ๐ŸŽ€๐Ÿ˜ฎ

Elisha

iOS user

This app is phenomenal down to the correct info and the various topics you can study! I greatly recommend it for people who struggle with procrastination and those who need homework help. It has been perfectly accurate for world 1 history as far as Iโ€™ve seen! Geometry too!

Paul T

iOS user

The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.

Stefan S

iOS user

This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.

Samantha Klich

Android user

Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.

Anna

iOS user

I think itโ€™s very much worth it and youโ€™ll end up using it a lot once you get the hang of it and even after looking at others notes you can still ask your Artificial intelligence buddy the question and ask to simplify it if you still donโ€™t get it!!! In the end I think itโ€™s worth it ๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ‘ โš ๏ธAlso DID I MENTION ITS FREEE YOU DONโ€™T HAVE TO PAY FOR ANYTHING AND STILL GET YOUR GRADES IN PERFECTLYโ—๏ธโ—๏ธโš ๏ธ

Thomas R

iOS user

Knowunity is the BEST app Iโ€™ve used in a minute. This is not an ai review or anything this is genuinely coming from a 7th grade student (I know 2011 im young) but dude this app is a 10/10 i have maintained a 3.8 gpa and have plenty of time for gaming. I love it and my mom is just happy I got good grades

Brad T

Android user

Not only did it help me find the answer but it also showed me alternative ways to solve it. I was horrible in math and science but now I have an a in both subjects. Thanks for the help๐Ÿค๐Ÿค

David K

iOS user

The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!

Sudenaz Ocak

Android user

In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.

Greenlight Bonnie

Android user

I found this app a couple years ago and it has only gotten better since then. I really love it because it can help with written questions and photo questions. Also, it can find study guides that other people have made as well as flashcard sets and practice tests. The free version is also amazing for students who might not be able to afford it. Would 100% recommend

Aubrey

iOS user

Best app if you're in Highschool or Junior high. I have been using this app for 2 school years and it's the best, it's good if you don't have anyone to help you with school work.๐Ÿ˜‹๐Ÿฉท๐ŸŽ€

Marco B

iOS user

THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜ฒ๐Ÿค‘๐Ÿ’—โœจ๐ŸŽ€๐Ÿ˜ฎ

Elisha

iOS user

This app is phenomenal down to the correct info and the various topics you can study! I greatly recommend it for people who struggle with procrastination and those who need homework help. It has been perfectly accurate for world 1 history as far as Iโ€™ve seen! Geometry too!

Paul T

iOS user