Family- Industrializaion & Changes

Question 1

What is the “fit thesis?” (basic)

Answer 1

Talcott Parsons: the nuclear family is the best fit for a modern industrial society.

in the modern industrial society, “nuclear family is isolated”

Question 2

Fit thesis: Why were extended families popular?

3.5 reasons

Answer 2

Goode & Parsons:
+preindustrial societies required multi-functional families
+kinship: similar agricultural work and bond
+economy: families were the source of production, needed for labour & to take care of elderly

Question 3

Fit Thesis: Why did nuclear family rise?

4 reasons

Answer 3

+ fall in nepotism in favor of meritocratic industrial society

+ required mobility to cope with industrial demand of labour

+ clash of generations: “achieved” vs “ascribed” statuses, how nuclear family avoids the conflict.

+ strong conjugal bonds required because a loss of kinship networks

Question 4

Fit Thesis critics (know at least 3)

Answer 4

Carlin
Finch
Anderson
Laslett

Question 5

Carlin (CIE page 103)

Answer 5

Extended families didn’t exist:
+ average life expectancy was low
+ elderly did not remain in families with their children

Question 6

Finch (CIE 102)

Answer 6

+ no evidence for taking care of elderly
+ no provision for children except for eldest son
+ wide range of household types in premodern eras

Question 7

Laslett

Answer 7

no u @ fit thesis.
“nuclear family brought the ability to engage in industrialization, hence industrialization in western europe and not in russia or japan”

Question 8

Anderson

Answer 8

Extended families existed during industrialization.

23% of 1851 census families had "kin relations"
\+working class families remained extended in the absence of welfare state to help with mutual aid

Question 9

Young and Wilmott

Answer 9

Stage 1: [pre-industrial]

Stage 2: [early idustiral ]

Stage 3: [symmetrical]

Stage 4: ??? possible

Question 10

Stage 1 Family

Answer 10

Preinudstiral” husband, wife and children are a team functioning as a unit of production in agricultural society

Question 11

Stage 2 Fmaily

Answer 11

Early Industrial
\+ high working class poverty
\+women head it because men die
\+women have strong kinship networks among themselves, "mother and married daughter households almost function as a single unit"
\+men prefers pubs to family life

Question 12

Stage 3

Answer 12

Symmetical:
sharing conjugal roles, women also working
+ men come home for “bettered domestic environment”
+ increased geographical mobility demands = decreased kinship
+ better wages = no need for kinship
+ less children = more female employment

Question 13

Stratified Diffusion

Answer 13

Young and Willmott:

lower classes copy lifestyles of those above them until gradually it becomes their style of living.

Question 14

Kinship in modernity

Answer 14

Willmott: looked into kinship in modern london

75% had relatives help with babysitting, and 80% borrowed from relatives

even easier now with cars!