The document provides an overview of functionalism and Marxism as sociological perspectives for understanding health and social care. It describes functionalism's view of society operating like a human body, with different institutions functioning together harmoniously. Marxism is presented as a conflict model, viewing society as characterized by inequality and exploitation of the working class by the capitalist ruling class due to private ownership of production. The document outlines key concepts for each perspective such as consensus and social control for functionalism, and ideology, class consciousness, and relations of production for Marxism.

1. SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES
FOR HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE
Unit 7
Lesson 1
Functionalism and Marxism

2. Learning Objectives
• To describe the main concepts of the
Functionalist perspective.
• To describe the main concepts of the
Marxist Theory

3. FUNCTIONALISM
CONSENSUS THEORY

4. • Agreement (also known as CONSENSUS) on what
is right and wrong, is the basis of social life.
• Without consensus, society would collapse into
chaos where no one would be able to agree on
how people should conduct themselves.
• Consensus and having shared values enables us
to co-operate with each other and this provides
unity…
…Having consensus provides harmony.
• Do you agree?
Consensus Theory

5. What is Functionalism?
• Can be best understood by likening society to the
human body.
• Just as the human bodies organs work together
to ensure efficient functioning, so do the
different institutions in society.
• All have particular contributions to make to
ensure smooth running of society.
• Work together and use methods of social control
to deal with deviant members or groups.

6. Auguste Comte (1798-
1857) had
FUNCTIONALIST ideas.
He thought you could
understand how society
FUNCTIONS by comparing
it with the
FUNCTIONNING of the
human body.

7. Comte thought there were similarities between how all the organs in the
body had specific individual FUNCTIONS but worked together to maintain
health and life.
What are the FUNCTIONS of the following organs? The brain?
The olfactory
senses?
The spine?
The lungs?
The intestines?

8. Family
Economy
Legal system
Education
Health system
Religion
The FUNCTIONALIST idea
is that if all the
systems (organs) in
society are FUNCTIONNING
in harmony it will
remain healthy.
http://youtu.be/MNeYnWL3D9A
Young man speak out
http://youtu.be/Mm8r8I7ApDQ
Rioting

9. How is society like a human body?
THE BODY
• Every part of the
body has a
function- to keep
it alive.
• The human body
grows and
develops.
• All of the parts of
the body link into
one big system.
• This helps the
body fight disease
and ‘function’
properly.
SOCIETY
• Every part of society
helps to keep society
going e.g. the family helps
by bringing up the next
generation.
• Societies gradually
develop and change.
• All parts of society work
together and depend on
each other – they are
interdependent.
• Society has mechanisms
to deal with problems
such as the police and the
legal system. This helps
society to ‘function’
properly.

10. Your turn!
We have just examined how every part of society
has a function – a job to do.
• What do you think may be the function of the
following? Work in pairs and note down some
ideas on a piece of paper.
• The family
• Schools
• The legal system
• Healthcare

11. The functions of the family

12. George Murdock (1949) found the family has 4 main
functions;
• The sexual function for the expression of sexuality in
an approved context.
• The reproductive function providing stability for the
rearing of children.
• Socialisation – the responsibility for teaching
children the acceptable ways of behaving in society.
• The economic function – food, shelter and income.

13. The Sick Role
• Talcott Parsons (1902-1979) believed society
was made up of inter related institutions
which contributed to the smooth running of
society.
• The main function of each is to socialise
individuals and ensure they understand the
values and behaviours expected in society.

14. • A way of explaining the particular rights and
responsibilities of those who are ill.
• Since those who are diagnosed with a medical
condition cannot always fulfill the same duties
that a person in good health can, society
adapts to this situation and allows for a
reasonable amount of deviation from
behaviour that would be viewed as typical of a
well person.
• What do you think may be the rights and
responsibilities of an ill person?

15. The sick role has both rights and responsibilities.
Rights
• Patients have the right to some form of exemption from
normal social activities e.g. time off work.
• They are freed from personal responsibility for the
illness – its not their fault. They have a right to be taken
care of. By who?
Responsibilities
• They must see being ill as undesirable and strive to get
better and resume their normal social roles. Is this
always true?
• They must seek professional help and co-operate with
the treatment. Is this always true?
This role is one way of dealing with ill health in society, as it ensures
the smooth functioning of society.

16. MARXISM
CONFLICT MODEL

17. This is Karl MARX.
Remember his name:
he’s one of the most
important thinkers of
modern(ish) times.
To put it short, this is
what he thought:
1. Society is in a state
of CONFLICT between
the rich and the poor.
5. Marx called this arrangement the RELATIONS OF PRODUCTION and
argued it EXPLOITED the SUBJECT CLASS (or the PROLETARIAT).
3. CAPITALISM is an
economic system where a
small minority of society
own the FORCES OF
PRODUCTION (factories &
information).
4. This minority is called the RULING
CLASS (or the BOURGEOSIE) – they
employ people to work for them to
produce goods that they sell.
2. Society uses a system called
CAPITALISM to keep the rich - rich
and the poor – poor.

18. Over to you
• Are there equal opportunities for all? Or
do some people have advantages over
others?
• If you think there are inequalities in
society, what could be done to reduce
them?
• Discuss in groups on your table. Be ready
to feedback to the rest of the class.

29. Marx’s insight..
• Its all about the money…

30. And social class….

31. Some people had it…
They are called the capitalists –
bourgeoisie (upper or ruling
class)
These people (a minority) who
owned the means of production.

32. Some people didn’t…
They were called the workers -
proletariat
(lower or working class)
These people (the majority) did
not own the means of
production.

33. Capitalists and workers are
thrown together…they don’t get
on too well..
Marx argued that all societies involved conflict –
that was based upon fundamental inequalities
and different economical and political interests.
Marxism viewpoints basically
argue that one group in society
the upper/middle class
(bourgeoisie) are more powerful.
This power is economic (based on
wealth).
To stay in power the bourgeoisie
need to control and exploit the
working class (proletariat).

34. • Capitalists want the maximum profit
and the lowest costs
• Workers want the highest wage for
the least work

35. Although wealth is created by the
proletariat (the working class), it is
taken away by the bourgeoisie in the
form of profits.

36. • Capitalists compete with each other –
the successful capitalists get richer
and richer.
• And the failed capitalists fall down
into the working class…

37. • Marx said that eventually the workers will rise
up in revolution against the capitalist class and
a new communist society will be created.

38. The relationship between a boss and a worker is an exploitative one.
The worker does what the boss tells them.
Everything is for the benefit of the boss (or RULING CLASS).
Nothing is for the benefit of the worker (the SUBJECT CLASS).
We call this miserable relationship between the RULING CLASS
and the SUBJECT CLASS, the RELATIONS OF
PRODUCTION.
The RELATIONS OF PRODUCTION
are about EXPLOITATION and
ALIENATION.
It means that people in this CAPITALIST
class structure, feel tied to their jobs, tied to
their possessions and feel that they just live to
work. They lose their sense of humanity.

39. Because making PROFIT basically means ripping people off,
the CAPITALISTS or, business people, have to come up with
ways to cover up the unfairness. They do it using something called
IDEOLOGY.
IDEOLOGY is the way in which people are told to think by
those in power.
Because the RULING CLASS are in power, they use
IDEOLOGY to make up ways to convince the SUBJECT
CLASS that CAPITALISM is normal, fair and right, even
though it blatantly isn’t.

40. THIS IS
REALLY
STUPID.

41. WHY DO WE
LET THIS
HAPPEN?

42. We don’t “LET IT HAPPEN”. CAPITALIST IDEOLOGY is used by
the RULINGCLASS to convince us that we needloads of stuff …..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VH_DkBI9Qsk – We Want Your
Soul.

43. A bloke called Althusser came up with the idea of IDEOLOGICAL
STATE APPARATUS.
This is APPARATUSor equipment
Used by the STATEor RULING CLASS or GOVERNMENT
To push their CAPITALISTnorms and values on the people.

44. IF YOU HAVE ON E OF THESE IN YOUR HOME,
BEWARE –
IT IS BEING USED BY CAPITALISTS TO HYPNOTISE
YOU INTO BELIEVING THAT IT’S NORMAL TO
HAVE A BIG BUNCH OF PEOPLE THAT ARE KEPT
POOR BY THE RICH.

45. Why can’t we reject these messages?

46. Marx argued that there was serious CLASS CONFLICT in
CAPITALIST society because of this exploitation.
He argued that the RULING CLASS, in particular, were suffering from
FALSE CLASS CONSCIOUSNESS. This means that they were
just not aware of how much they were being exploited as workers and consumers.
IDEOLOGYwas responsible for this FALSE CLASS
CONSCIOUSNESS.

47. Marxists argue that capitalist ideology shapes
the way of life of a society – its culture e.g.
the mass media convinces us through
advertising to buy more material goods. We
want to be rich so that we can buy more and
more and somehow this will make us happy.
What is more, while we are doing all this
we are not noticing the inequalities and
exploitation of the capitalist system. This
is described as ‘false class consciousness’
– we are not aware of our ‘real’ identity
as exploited and oppressed workers.

48. Marxists argue that the institutions are organised
to benefit the ruling class.
• The family – provides socialisation of children,
preparing them for the disciplines and
routines of work.
• The health system ensures a healthy
workforce which in turn ensures more profit
for the ruling classes as workers don’t take
time off sick! They believe that doctors hide
the real social causes of illness (poverty, class
inequality etc.) by focusing on the individual
and their physical symptoms.

49. I predicted that there would come a time
when the SUBJECT CLASS wouldn’t
take this faeces from the CAPITALIST
system any more.
I predicted that a REVOLUTION
would overthrow the RULING
CLASS.

51. ACTIVITY
• Summary:
• Functionalists believe
societies are united
by common values
that are shared across
society, ensuring
smooth running.
• Marxists believe
society is split; society
is organised and
controlled by
powerful minority
groups to meet their
own needs.
• In groups, consider
whether the
following groups
work for the good of
society or mainly for
the successful and
powerful groups:
• Schools and colleges
• The economy
• Health and Social
Care services.

52. Now you can complete the Functionalism
and Marxism section of P1
• Explain the principal sociological perspectives
Produce an information booklet or a set of
factsheets explaining the principal sociological
perspectives: