Industrialization and Formation of the Nuclear Family

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Industrialization and Formation of the Nuclear Family

Some have argued that as industrialisation and modernisation continue

to shape our society, the classic extended family is breaking and

kin-ship based society becoming increasingly rare. In its place is the

privatised nuclear family form.

Parsons claims 'the isolated nuclear family' has taken over. The

nuclear family places no emphasis on a wider system of kinship

relationships hence it is structurally isolated. This means it can be

geographically mobile whereas in pre-industrial times kinship links

within the family meant it was limited to a particular area.

Parsons also states how the family has ceased to be an economic unit

of production, more suited to needs of modern society, and in Marxist

perspective, suited to needs of capitalism. The media portrays a

'cereal packet' family which many families feel inclined to achieve -

buy kids latest toys, clothes etc. This shows how the family has

changed from producing to consuming.

Consuming has become the 'norm' especially with the evolution of

institutions which take over many functions of the family. In

pre-industrial times the family helped with medical, financial aid

etc. Now, institutes of society have taken functions such as schools,

hospitals, police force etc. Parsons calls this structural

differentiation.

Goode agrees that geographical mobility, social mobility and functions

once performed by the family being taken over by outside agencies all

weaken wider family ties. Goode also talks of 'role bargaining' - the

nuclear family has more freedom to chose which extended family members

they want to keep in contact with. Usually this is because they can

somehow benefit from being in contact with them.

However, Peter Laslett claims the extended family was not the classic

family form in pre-industrial society, that in fact only 10% of

families contained kin beyond the nuclear family. He argues the common

pre-industrial nuclear family provided favourable conditions for

industrialisation and helped cause industrialisation. This is a

complete reverse, but Laslett's small scale research may not be

entirely accurate.

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