Pre-Industrial Family Structures and Change

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Questions and Answers

In the past, what role did kinship networks play in securing employment for family members?

  • They recommended family members to potential employers. (correct)
  • They offered financial assistance for family members to start their own businesses.
  • They provided training for family members to improve their skills.
  • They helped family members find apprenticeships in specific trades.

What function, once performed by families, is now primarily handled by a formal system?

  • Recreation
  • Education (correct)
  • Childcare
  • Long-term care of the elderly

Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a way families have adapted to changes in social structures?

  • Families may use government assistance to pay for childcare. (correct)
  • Families may provide long-term care for elderly relatives.
  • Families may share leisure and recreation together, even if it is done outside the home.
  • Middle-class families may be more involved in their children's education.

Why were children in the past used to add to family income?

<p>Children were seen as a source of cheap labor. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary point of the text regarding the functions of families?

<p>The role of the family has been redefined and adapted to meet changing social needs. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is Finch (1989)'s view of pre-industrial family obligations compared to industrial and post-industrial families?

<p>She found little evidence to support the idea of stronger family obligations in the pre-industrial era. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What evidence does the text provide against the idea that extended families were the norm in the pre-industrial period?

<p>Historical studies revealed a wide range of household types. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How did primogeniture, the inheritance system where the first-born son inherited all the family wealth, contribute to industrialization in the United Kingdom?

<p>It concentrated wealth in fewer hands, enabling investment in growing industries. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

According to Anderson (1995), what was a significant contributing factor to the development of a broadly extended family structure in the working class during industrialization?

<p>The pressure on living space caused by urban population growth. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a factor mentioned in the text that influenced pre-industrial family structures?

<p>The availability of social welfare programs. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How did pre-industrial family structures potentially contribute to the onset of industrialization in Western Europe?

<p>The nuclear family structure facilitated family mobility and flexibility, enabling individuals to take advantage of new economic opportunities. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What challenges did working-class families face in the industrial era, as discussed in the text?

<p>The absence of government support for the sick and unemployed, leading to reliance on kinship networks. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main argument presented by the author about the relationship between family structures and industrialization?

<p>The pre-industrial nuclear family structure provided a foundation for industrial development. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Kinship Networks

Social connections that help families secure jobs through recommendations.

Extended Family

A broader family structure that includes relatives beyond parents and children.

Child Labor

Children working at a young age to contribute to family income.

Modified Family Functions

Changes in family roles where other institutions take over traditional tasks.

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Family Involvement in Education

Active participation of parents in their children's schooling.

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Industrial Revolution family dynamics

Family obligations were believed to have been stronger before the Industrial Revolution, but evidence shows this is largely unsupported.

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Pre-industrial family structures

Historical studies indicate a diverse range of household types, with nuclear families being common, not just extended ones.

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Nuclear family vs. extended family

The nuclear family, not the extended family, was more adaptive to changes brought by industrialization and urbanization.

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Primogeniture

An inheritance system where the first-born son inherits all family wealth, influencing family structure.

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Impact of low life expectancy

Low life expectancy (around 35-40 years) limited the number of extended families, as most adults did not become grandparents.

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Anderson's view on family structures

Anderson argued that no single dominant family structure existed during industrialization; reconstituted and lone-parent families were common.

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Working-class kinship networks

During industrialization, working-class families relied on strong kinship networks due to lack of government support.

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Urbanization's effect on families

As towns grew around factories, extended families became more common to meet practical needs and pressures on living space.

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Study Notes

Pre-industrial Family Structures and Industrialisation

  • Finch (1989) challenged the strong family obligation theory before industrialization, finding little evidence of a greater support system than in later eras.
  • Historical research highlighted diverse household types, not a consistent extended family norm.
  • This challenged the idea that the nuclear family "fits" with industrialization.
  • An alternative perspective suggests pre-industrial family structures, primarily nuclear, were flexible and mobile, enabling quicker adaptation to industrial opportunities in Western Europe.

Extended Families in Pre-Industrial Society

  • Extended families weren't as common or dominant as some theories suggested.
  • Low life expectancy (around 35-40 years) limited the average person's time to become grandparents, and thus vertically extended families.
  • Primogeniture (first-born son inheriting) in the UK may have stimulated industrial growth by limiting wealth concentration and encouraging younger siblings to urban centers.

Diverse Family Structures During Industrialization

  • Anderson (1995) argued that no single family structure dominated industrialization.
  • Reconstituted and single-parent families existed in pre-industrial society, especially among the poor due to high death rates.
  • The working class developed a broadly extended family structure as a response to urbanization-driven living space pressures.

Functions of Extended Families During Industrialization

  • Working-class families relied on kinship networks for illness, unemployment, and job securing.
  • Kinship networks filled vital roles in childcare and supporting children with dead or absent parents (orphans).
  • Networks facilitated job placement through recommendations.
  • Young relatives contributed to family income by working at a young age.

Shifting Family Functions

  • Modern institutions (schools, healthcare professionals) have taken over functions previously focused on families.
  • However, family roles have evolved rather than vanished.
  • Families actively engage in education and caregiving, including non-critical illnesses and long-term care.
  • Families still share leisure and recreation, although activities are more individualized or focused on the leisure industry.

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