Asian Family

Being the biggest continent in the world, Asia contains about 60% of the world’s population and growing each year. Though China, and India are two of the most populated countries in the world, having about 30% of the world’s population, there are about two-fifths of the countries that have less than five million habitants. Though forty-two different countries make up this great continent, much of the similarities are family values. Customs and traditions might be different, however, western ideas and influences have wiped out many of those customs and created new ones in most of the countries in Asia. Even in comparison from country to country, the new ways and ideas are similar. The basic Asian family would be the same as in any family in comparison to the rest of the world. Patriarchy families are more popular amongst many Asian families. It is believed that the man is in charge of the house in most if not all the countries in Asia. However, there is some form of equality between men and women in Asia. Some countries have more equal rights than others. Some countries such as the Middle East countries give very minimal rights to women. Even a great country like the United States doesn’t have full equality between men and women. Because of urbanization, western ideas and influences are reaching the average Asians. Asians are moving into cities with phenomenal speed. In an article by Michael Sivy of Time International Magazine, Malaysia’s Finance Minister Anwar Ibrahim states, “Today, half of all Malaysians live in cities.” Sivy adds, “the result is an irreversible change in the family structure that has prevailed in Asia for thousands of years.” The urbanization of these families helped to promote further growth in all aspects. It has “converted the extended family into a nuclear one,” says Richard Robison, director of the Asia Research Center at Murdoch University in Perth, Australia. Because of this new change, “people are relying less on the family, which in turn is creating new relationships between old and young and women and men.” The change has promoted a lot of social change and economic change in many of these countries, such as Malaysia. By urbanization, many of these people are being influenced by the modernization and western technological advancements. These influences include democracy, education, communication, economical developments, medic...

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