Family – most important universal institution. It is the core of the social structure and fundamental unit of the society. In general its consists of father, mother & children.

According to Charles Cooley – Family is the primary group and we are member of primary group. History of mankind is the history of family. At birth child is only biological being. His needs are fulfilled by his family. Right from the birth to death, the family exerts a constant influence on the child.

According to Anderson – There is not a single person who is not a member of a family in one form or the other. According to him there are two types of family (i) family of orientation (ii) family of procreation.

1. Where we are born, we are a member.
2. In the family urge is fulfilled to give birth to another. Family in which we procreate we give birth.

 

 

The origin & Division of Family

Morgan – He has listed to successive forms of family. He has postulated a sequential growth of the division and origin of family. He has divided on the basis of distinctive type of marriage.

1. Consanguine – How this family originated and developed. This type of marriage was not well organized because at that time institutions of marriage were not well developed. It was based on system of promiscuity or sex communism. Men were free to have sex-relationship with any woman.
2. Punabran family – It succeeds the consanguine. In this type of marriage, group of boys married a group of girl. In one way it is a type of pair marriage. In this type of family it was not well organized. Any girl could have sex relationship with any boy of the same group. This existed for a long time.
3. Syndiasmian Family – It succeeds 2. Here one female married one male in a family but the man was allowed to have sex–relationship with anyone he wants. Woman also had permission to have sex-relationship with others outside the family.
4. Patriarchal Family – Male dominated family. Authority gives to male especially the eldest male of the family. Dominated by the eldest male. Here male can have more than one wife but female can have only one husband and they unlike men can’t have sex-relationship with other men.
5. Meonogamous – (Modern family) one male can marry only one female. According to Vnkevouic there are 2 types of marriages. The males were allowed to marry again if his first wife died. According to Vnkevouic Monoganous family is that family in which males are allowed to marry only once even if his wife died he cannot marry again. 9.2.88 Prefour in Book Mother the first form of family was matriarchal family. In this the full responsibility of a family was on mother. Later on every required the help of males as they could not fulfill their families desires alone and hence slowly the males group began to dominate the women group by giving their support and help. They began to think themselves as superior in a family.
6. Westermark – In his book “History of Marriage” said that first form of family was patria cal because only sex was considered more important. Males group felt jealousy that their wife cannot have sex with other males. They must be satisfied with one male. Thus in this way they were dominated very much in the family.
7. Tylor was the supporter. Before there was only sex and hence a family was not well organized at all. But males were allowed to have sex with other female group even though the bad wives already.

 

Needs for Origin: It originated to fulfill the needs of oneself. The various needs can only be fulfilled in a family. Everyone is a member of a family in one way or the other. To exist a family or a society reproductive usage or sexual relationship is very necessary. There are some needs to form a family they are (1) Reproductive urge: that is to have sexual relationship to have a family of our own. Unless there is sexual relationship, family cannot exist. To have children and for this sex is necessary. This is a psychological aspect. People want to continue their family tradition, name etc. (2) Biological needs – sexual urge varies according to age. If one wants to have sex he cannot have anywhere or at any time he wants so to have sex or to satisfy sexual urge marriage is very necessary. (3) Economic provision – when a child is born he is fully dependent on a family (specially for a biological needs like hunger etc.) economically.

Definition of Family
Mac Iver & Page – In their book ‘The society’ – family is a group defined by sex relationship, sufficiently precise and enduring to provide for the procreation and upbringing of the children.

Dgbourn & Nimkoff – In their book ‘A hand book of sociology’ – “Family is more or less a durable association of husband and wife with or without children or of a man or woman along with their children”.

Kingsley Davis – In his book “Human society” – defines family as – “Family is a group of persons whose relation to one another are based upon consequinity and who are therefore kin to one another”. He means where there is blood relationship although hubby and wife have sex relation.

Gisbert – “Family of ordinarily a man and woman permanently united with one or more children.

Biesenz & Biesenz – “The family in one sense may be defined as a woman with a child and a man to look after them.

Burguess & Locke – In his book ‘Family’ – “Family is a group of persons united by ties of marriage, blood or adoption, constituting a single household, interacting and intercommunicating with each other in their respective social roles of husband & wife, mother and father, son & daughter, brother & sister creating a common culture”.

 

Characteristics of Family – (General)

 

1. Sex relationship should be their between husband and wife. Or making relationship or if this relationship breaks then the family slowly breaks according to Mac Iver.
2. It provides care to children like economic needs. Emotional basis i.e. family is based on emotion. If this is absent the family breaks.
3. A system of Nomenclature i.e. according to Anderson there are two kinds of family and both these give importance to Nomenclature. This means that the children relates to the families name.
4. A single household for a well organized family.
5. Durable association of hubby and wife according to Anderson & Nimkoff.
6. Husband and wife with or without children.

 

 

Nature of Family (distinctive characteristics)

1. Universality – family is found in each stage of society and everywhere. There is no society without family. There is not a single man who does not belong to one or other kind of family”. Anderson.
2. Emotional basis – There should be an emotional relationship – love, affection, sympathy, co-operation. If there is no such basis the family breaks up.
3. Formative influence – Each family has a certain form. Orientation and Procreations (Mac Iver). If you are a member of one family you inherit your parents characteristic. Frand said “In adulthood man has the characteristic of parents”. In pro you give birth to children and they are influenced by your personality.
4. Limited in size – Gisbert “Husband, wife and children”. Family is limited in size in comparison to other groups. Joint family is large whereas nuclear family is small.
5. Nuclear position in the society – According to Charles Cooley “Family is a primary group and is the fundamental unit of society (the network of social relationship we call it society)”. It is the primary cell of society. Society is an aggregation of families.
6. Sense of Responsibility – The function of the family is to provider economic needs of the children. It is the responsibility of the parents to look after the children of the family. At the time of crisis man is ready to die for country but for his family he is always ready to protect the family’s prestige etc.
7. Social control – family is a mechanism of social control. When one is small he does not know what’s wrong or right. If you follow good you are praised otherwise you are punished. This makes you think that you must relate to the good and when you grow up you relate to the good of society.
8. Permanent and Temporary in nature – Family is an institution as well as association. As an institution family is permanent cause it’s found everywhere and at every stage of history. As association family is or close kint group (when the child has his own family he separates from the original & so temporary) one family consists of father, mother and children. Generally the children make their own family and the family disintegrate. This happens in case of divorce or death of a parent.

Types of Family

Types of Family or Classification of Family – According to Anderson there is no man who does not belong to a family no matter in which form. According to Mac Iver and Page there are two kinds of family – Orientation & Procreation..

On the basis of authority there are 2 types of family – Patriarchal or Matriarchal. P- male dominant especially father or the eldest male. He is the supreme authority the property is in his hands and he does its dist. M-authority on the hand of mother.

On the basis of residence 1 Patrilocal and Matrilocal . P members stay in father’s house M members stay in mothers’ house GORO & KHASIS

On the basis ancestors Patritinial & Matrilinial P – demanded from pap’s side M – from mother’s side.

On the basis of Marriage

1. Monogamous is based on marriage between one male and one female and the male is allowed to marry again if his wife. According to Wichmavic or whatever – quote him.
2. Polygamy – refers to that family which has one male, two female or one female two male. This is subdivided into 2.
3. Polyandrous (a) polygynous a one male and more than one female marriage . After 1955 the Hindus were restricted to having more than one at a time. The muslims are allowed to have upto 4. This came into being because of the ratio of man and women – women’s ratio being more. (I can keep 4 or 5 wives). Also the Rajputs in war married the queens of the kings and defeated or kept them as mistresses. (b) The women & many hubbies again divided into two (i) Fraternal (ii) Non-fraternal. (i) the hubbies are brothers like Draupadi – the ratio of man and women that of man being ___. (ii) Matrilocal – It is usually so the hubbies are not brothers. This type is still found in the tribal like the Todas of Nilgiris, Nayars of Malabar in Kerala.

Family based on No. of members of family: 1. Nuclear family & 2. Joint family 3. is specially an important characteristics of the Indian society. A group of families living together eating food, cooked under a single (same) roof, holding property in common, worship a common deity and the members are related to each other by some particular type of kinder. The head is the father and he decides everything in the family.

Write the merits and demerits but just mentioned don’t go into details.
In this family there is a generation depth of 3 or more generations. It is also called as an extended family in ____ society (i) Gisbert deff. – It is that family where hub, wife and mostly unmarried children. This is due to civilization and industrialization on the basis of relationship. There are 2 types (1) consanguineous (ii) conjugal (i) refers to the family with blood relation. The hubby and wife too are blood relations, in Muslim. Marriage in your own claim (ii) The hubby and wife come from different class or families (i.e. family of procreation)

Function of Family

According to Mac Iver and Page – There are 3 functions of family

1. Gratification of family
2. Procreation
3. provision of economic means (needs)

 

 

Functions in General:

1. Satisfaction of sex urges though the institution of marriage.
2. Procreation – for psychological satisfaction for having children to succeed them.
3. Provision of food, clothes and shelter give the diff. of Mac Iver and Page.

 

 

Social Functions:

1. Socialization
2. Social control

 

1. When the child & born he is just a biological entity. His character is moulded his family. He leaning the customs manners etc. Farm is a process of socialization. There is the education function. Family’s the 1st school for the child. He 1st school for the child. He 1st learns the long of his family.
2. Farm is a mechanism of social control farm has particular customs & traditions some rules & regulations & if the child follows there he is praised or punished if he doesn’t follow. This gives him an idea of the difference of good & bad. Some times the family removes bad habits & sometimes even bad habits. Extremes control is there in a joint family because there are too many people of higher status (cha-cha, mama etc)

 

Economic Function

1. Unit of production & consumption
2. Division of labour
   1. India is a country of village. In these simple farms there is unit of production like those in agriculture. They produce consumption is in both type of farm. Much as well as joint. According to Anderson each man’s a member of family & every man is a consumer.
   2. Labour is divided in the Farms on the basis of age & sex usually the female has the household work & the man the outside work. The head is the oldest in the farm.

 

 

Cultural Functions

1st School is the family. He learns the long and customs & traditions of his family. Culture is different. from one family to another. This culture is passed on from one generation to the next generation. To exist in society culture is very important to distinguish the society from another. Culture also provides physical security. The duty of the family is to take care of children who are physical & mentally handicapped. Also the old & ill are too the liability of the families. The general notion is that the young ones take care of the old.

 

Recreational Function
Family is the centre of recreation in a simple family or for the joint farm in this there are journal relations the that of Bhabi & Dewar etc., When the tired member (usually men) return home these are met with a smile & kindness. This gives them pleasure and makes life easy as well as pleasurable.

Acc. to Beirstead
“Family has functions for both the individual & society” which are related to each other.

Societies	Individual
Continuation	Life & survival
Sexual control through the inst. Of marriage	Sexual opportunity through the inst. of marriage.
Cultural transmission status ascription (one is ascribed to the status of his family)

 

Modern Family

(Actually we are supposed to do the pools of the med. Farm). A med. Farm & always a nuclear farm i.e. Mother, Father and children who are unmarried. This is due to industriation & urbanization, it is increasing & developing with these why is it due to industriation. & urbanization. People go to industrial & urban areas for work or so this locates up the patriarchal farm. Everyone seems to want to stay in these areas but the space is less & the rent high. This leads to a two room home & this is one of the problems of med. Farm. In Urban areas there are many facilities like education, water supply electricity & various other things which attracts people. For this they are breaking their joint families & make a nuclear farm. This leads to congestion and the prob. of stability arises (Farm – is a compact close kind group, in general, in which each member’s psychologically related. In the patriarchal farm there is a sense of stability because they know they got stay there no matter what, for her parents are not going to accept her for she’s married off to that man (In these areas there are job opportunity). But today women feel they are equal partners with equal rights & so they are not going to bear all up silently. 2. Now women too have the right to divorce (1955 marriage act) if he teachers her or does anything disagreeable in the eyes of laws. 3. In 1956 the Hindu succession act gives the girl the right to get an equal share of the parents property this poses danger to the stability of the farm & disintegrates. Problem of maladinstment disciplining the family due to urbanization- & industriation. (This is for equal jobs opportunity).

[Secular Education Parents provides equal education. To both daughter & son. This liberated the women. This was an influence of conization. 2. In this she is no longer afraid that she has nothing to fall back on after the hubby disowns her].

All these were for the good but this had some disadvantages too because families broke up all the more easily. An old custom was to entertain one’s guest, this has changed and guests are considered more of a burden. Now people would rather go to others place than entertain people themselves.

Problem of Adjustment (Mal. Adjustment)

 

1. Economic independence of women
   Equal opportunity of job to both men & women, she has equal rights. This makes the women feel she is a wage earner than why should she listen to her hubby, instead he should listen to her. This cause conflict because the hobby does not care how much the wife earns but she must obey him because she is an inferior.
2. Now the children try to get their own by persuading the parent that is most sympathetic on that matter. Now one parent may disagree & this causes conflict because both hubby & wife are important. & so insist on being obeyed or atleast get yes.
3. Changes in values & attitudes of Farm
   Earlier marriage was in front of a God taking the oath to remain together for this birth & the coming ones. But now you can just go to court on an hour’s decision & get married.
4. Prob. or working Women
   Now people think that if both hubby & wife work they will be happier but the poor wife has to work as well as look after, the house and children. The hubby’s ego does not allow him to do all this. This causes unhappiness & ill feeling.
5. Prob. of Aging Parents
   Earlier it was the function of the family to take care of the dependents (those dependent on them). It was one’s duty to take care of the parents. The married son was supposed to care for his aging parents but now this is going. Now the son lives separately. This creates can emotional problem for the old.
6. Prob. of neglected children
   As both parents work children hardly have any emotional support and there is no one to look after them. The parents are too lived to listen to all their problem. This also results in practical delinquency.
7. Sex relationship
   In this one’s free to have sexual relationship i.e. women too can have extra-marital relationship as the men. This again leads to the breaking up of the family. However this is not very much prevalent in our society i.e in India.
8. Future of the Farm
   i.e. Is farm disintegrating! The med. Families concept is increasing day –by-day and joint farm’s loosing group. Family has changed its farm & structure don’t is not disintegrating. There is also a change in the functions of the farm. The concept of religious rituals too is changing. Also the function of providing security is changing (like old part –in old homes etc). Also these days one can’t think of having a baby born in the house. It must be in a hospital. Also the family is hardly the 1st school because children when hardly grown are put in schools. But the main function of the farmily which is procreation is restored.