Changes in family structure Flashcards
Parsons on industrialisation (1951): nuclear families became dominant
- in pre-industrial society the extended family is most common
- families live and work together producing goods= cottage industry
- in industrial society, the nuclear family becomes dominant
- increase in individuals leaving the home to work= separating work and home
what is industrialisation?
- process by which production becomes more mechanical and based outside the home and in factories
- people leave the home for work and urban cities are formed
- industrialisation in the UK started in the 18th C
Two basic types of family structure:
- extended
- nuclear
Two basic types of society:
- pre industrial: agricultural work
- industrial society: factories in cities
Parsons: how industrialisation changed the function of the family
- functions of preindustrial family were taken over by industry and the state e.g. healthcare and education
- nuclear family cam focus on socialisation in norms and values
- industrial nuclear= isolated, few times with local kinship so easy to move for work
- family structure adapts to the needs of society
Functionalists: industrialisation changed roles and status in the family
- status for people in pre industrial was ascribed, in industrial status achieved from success outside the family
- A nuclear family is the best to achieve status without conflict, allows for social mobility and people can better themselves
- specialized roles for men and women inside the family: expressive and instrumental most effective for society
- conflict theorists argue these roles come from ideology and power
EVALUATION= Functionalists: industrialisation changed roles and status in the family
- they put forward an idealized picture of history, evidence suggests there was a variety of family norms in the past
- Laslett (1972): nuclear family most common before industrialisation ( parish records)
- Anderson (1971): extended families present in industrial society based of 1851 census
- when people moved for work they lived with extended families
Willmott and Young said families have developed through 3 stages
- studied families in London and Essex in 1950’-70’s
- work tested the theory that the nuclear family is the dominant form in modern industrial society
Willmott and young 3 stages of family development: stage 1- pre industrial
- family works as an economic production unit
Willmott and young 3 stages of family development: stage 2- early industrial
- extended family is broken up as individuals (men) leave to work
- women have strong extended kinship networks
Willmott and young 3 stages of family development: stage 3- privatized nuclear
- family based on consumption, not production
- focused on family relationships and lifestyle
- called the ‘symmetrical family’: husband and wife have joint roles
Willmott and young 3 stages of family development: stage 4- Asymmetrical
(this stage got dropped)
- husband and wife roles become asymmetrical
- men spend more leisure time away from home e.g. pub
what is a symmetrical family?
- idea that both partners work either full time or part time
- their economic contribution is equal
Feminists view on the symmetrical family: Helen Wilkinson
- more women working bc economy moved from male industrial sector to female service sector
- ’ genderquake’: early 1990’s women 16-35 saw work and education more important than having kids
- women have economic influence over family through employment= traditional gender roles are broken down
- 2012 survey of social attitudes found women think men should work full time and women part time= more desireable than having male breadwinner
EVALUATIONS: Willmott and young 3 stages of family development
- assuming family life has got better as structure adapts to modern society= ‘march of progress’ theorists
- ignore negative aspects of the family e.g. domestic violence, child abuse still present
- feminist research found equal roles in ‘symmetrical family’ actually do not exist
What is the governments influence on family through social policy?
- created laws that influence family structure
- covers areas such as divorce, benefit system, reforms to the education system, adoption and employment
How has social policy changed over time?
- changed since the second world war
- 1945-1979 state policy was interventionist
- welfare state set up by labour gov in 1948, supported families e.g. benefits
- people pay national insurance to pay for welfare state, used to be universal
1979 conservative gov thought reduced state intervention was best: Maggy Thatcher
- influences by new right ideology, nuclear families cornerstone of society, thought UK was ‘nanny state’ gov had too much control over lives
- individuals should be more responsible, benefits cut= taxes lowered, meaning testing for those who need it
- mothers encouraged to stay at home, families should take care of older people through benefit cuts
Laws created by conservatives to make families have more responsibilities:
- child support agencies (1993) made absent fathers pay mothers, upkeep of children
- Children act (1999)= right for the child
- made divorce more difficult, ‘cooling off period’ of one year b4 divorce BUT left out bc wouldn’t work in practice
New Labour (1997) Tony Blair: promised a compromise between old ideologies
- ’ the third way’ middle ground between left and right wing, more pragmatic and less ideological
-‘ supporting families’ made clear marriage preferred - showed awareness for diversity of family life
- 2005 introduced civil partnerships, (gays)
-New right ideas about family policies: cut lone parent family benefits, supported means tested and opppsed universal benefits
Coalition government (2010) David Cameron: conservatives and lib Dems: promoted family stability
- promoted marriage as stabilizing, remove ‘couples penalty’= benefits if living apart
- 2014 legalized same sex marriage, some thought this would damage family stability
-after economic crisis in 2008, went into economic austerity= spend less money, impacted family life - to reduce welfare bill, they capped housing benefits to $500 a week for couples and single parents, married couples weren’t prioritised
conservative gov (2015) coalition ideology on austerity: families take more economic responsibility
- cap on child benefits, 3+kids= no increases in child tax credits or housing benefits after 2nd child
- limiting child benefits= ‘promote behavioural change’ and discourage having too many kids
