Types and forms of family | Sociology Optional for UPSC (Notes) PDF Download

Joint Family

Social Aspect

• Solidarity of Relationship
  • In joint families, relationships are primarily based on blood ties or siblings, making them consanguineous families.
  • Daughter-in-laws often bear the responsibility for household activities but may have limited importance within the family structure.
  • For a married woman, her parental home becomes a temporary refuge after marriage.
• Importance of Members
  • In joint families, the collective family unit takes precedence over individual members.
  • Decision-making processes extend from trivial matters to significant issues, including decisions related to marriage.
• Marriage Alliance
  • Marriage alliances are formed at the family level, not individually, resulting in relationships being established between two families.
  • Both spouses have various relationships within the extended family, limiting their direct interaction and potential conflicts.
• Supporting Studies
  • Elizabeth Bott's research in Greater London and findings by Rosser and Harris support the concept of limited domesticity and interaction between spouses in joint families.

Political Aspect

Authority Structure

• In joint families, authority is typically held by a male figure in patriarchal families or a female figure in matriarchal families.
• Each family appoints a head who represents the entire family, and decisions made by this head are considered collective family decisions.

Economic Aspect

• Division of Labor
  • Division of labor in joint families is based on age and gender.
  • Men typically work outside the home, while women are responsible for domestic tasks.
  • Talents and skills have little significance in this context.
  • Industrialization has transformed women's roles, shifting towards more dominant and mature roles.
• Ownership of Property
  • Property in joint families is collectively owned, and individual ownership is not encouraged.

Religious Aspect

Collective Religious Activities

• Joint families emphasize collective religious activities that involve all family members.
• Individual ownership or control over religious matters is limited.

Cultural Aspects

• Functions and Traditions
  • Joint families host various functions and perform rituals following established rules and traditions.
  • These functions are typically conducted collectively.
• Place of Residence
  • Members of the joint family live together under one roof, sharing a common kitchen and living space.

Nuclear Family

Social Aspect

• Solidarity of Relations
  • Nuclear families emphasize affinity-based relationships over blood ties, making them conjugal families.
  • Members often have their autonomy, and the ego has usually separated from blood relatives.
  • Decision-making respects individual freedom, with variations in practice between traditional and Western societies.
• Importance of Members
  • Each member holds importance in nuclear families, and one member's desires are not imposed on others.
  • Marital decisions often involve the individuals concerned, and individual freedom is a key consideration.

Political Aspect

Equal Rights

• In nuclear families, every member, including children, has equal rights.
• Decision-making typically operates through consensus and consultation rather than compulsion.

Economic Aspect

• Division of Labor
  • Division of labor in nuclear families is based on ability and talent rather than age and gender.
  • Conjugal roles are shared, unlike joint families where roles are often separated.
  • This observation aligns with research by Elizabeth Bott and Rosser & Harris.
• Property Ownership
  • Property in nuclear families is governed by modern rules, and ownership is individual, with the achiever becoming the owner.

Religious Aspect

Secular Ideologies

• In Western countries and nuclear families, a decline in belief in supernatural entities and a shift toward science and technology has reduced the significance of religious activities.
• Religion is no longer obligatory for family members, as problem-solving often relies on rational, secular approaches.

Miscellaneous

• Prominence of External Agencies
  • Nuclear families are considered units of consumption by MacIver, leading to a reliance on external agencies for services and commodities.
  • Specialization within the family prompts dependence on others for various needs, as explained by T. Parsons and William J. Goode.
• Improved Status of Women
  • The elements of equality, freedom, and decision-making rights have weakened patriarchal structures.
  • Women's status has improved, with economic freedom playing a significant role.
  • Ann Oakley describes this change as the emergence of a "dominant, mature feminine role."
• Increase in Individuality
  • Nuclear families foster individual consciousness, differing from Durkheim's concept of collective consciousness.
  • Individuality can lead to economic prosperity but may result in anomie, causing dissociation and social issues.
  • Increased privacy in nuclear families promotes sexual freedom.
  • These families are becoming more individualistic and democratic.

Factors Responsible for the Change in Family Structure in Industrial Society

After the scientific and industrial revolution, the family structure in Western societies transitioned from patriarchal joint families to individualistic nuclear families. This shift was driven by various factors that aligned with the changing societal landscape.
The most prominent initiating factor was industrialization, accompanied by other significant factors:

1. Industrialization

• Industrialization played a pivotal role in the emergence of nuclear families.
• T. Parsons & William J. Goode: Notable sociologists emphasized the impact of industrialization on family structure.
  • The modern industrial system required geographical mobility, making the isolated nuclear family more practical.
  • The isolated nuclear family focuses obligations on a smaller group, reducing conflicts.
  • Achieved status became central in modern industrial societies, favoring the nuclear family.
  • Family functions, such as primary socialization and emotional support, thrived in nuclear families.
  • Ronald Fletcher: Supported Parsons' views, highlighting the increased importance of parents in guiding their children's occupational and health choices.
• William J. Goode: Like Parsons, Goode argued that industrialization weakened extended family ties.
  • Geographical mobility reduced kinship interactions.
  • External institutions assumed functions once performed by the family.
  • Achieved status gained significance, diminishing the family's role.
  • This led to the adoption of nuclear family structures.

2. Modernization

• Modernization brought changes in education, leading to increased awareness and social mobility.
• Role of Education: Modern education dispelled superstitions and empowered individuals with knowledge of their rights.
  • Specialization and social mobility became attainable through education.
  • Even working-class children could achieve higher social status.
  • Raymond Boudon's positional theory explained how education influenced family structure.
• Change in Judiciary: Legal changes improved women's status, making them demand equality and freedom.
• Change in Political System: Political systems promoting equality and freedom contributed to the rise of nuclear families.
• Change in Ideology: Modernization allowed women to assume dominant, mature feminine roles, shifting from their previous roles in economic production.
• Change in Mass Communication: Mass media increased awareness and mobility, impacting family structures.

3. Secularization

• Demographic Factors: Healthier demographics led people to adopt one or two-child norms, reducing family size.
  • In Western societies, this contributed to the prevalence of nuclear families.
  • In Indian society, similar norms emerged through legal or illegal technology use, leading to nuclear family structures.

These factors collectively drove the transformation of family structures from traditional joint families to individualistic nuclear families in industrial societies.