Is the family declining.

IS THE FAMILY DECLINGING?

The term 'nuclear family' is used to refer to a unit consisting of two parents and their dependent children. The nuclear family is sometimes associated with the idea of a "traditional" family; the nuclear family is becoming less and less popular as more varied, diverse, family patterns exist. The view that the nuclear family is in decline can be supported by the New Right conservative thinkers. Their views on the family reflect a familial ideology about what constitutes to an ‘ideal’ family, which is the nuclear family. This familial ideology also makes assumptions on how not to organise family life. Therefore declining popularity of marriage is one symptom of the decline of the nuclear family. This may be down to alternatives to conventional married life such as cohabitation. This is when a couple live together but are not legally married, so their children will be born out of marriage, so it is not a nuclear family structure. Joan Chandler suggested this increase in cohabitation was due to partners no longer needing to get married to legitimize a pregnancy. Also an increase in divorce as led to a decline in the traditional nuclear model, increasing the number of single parents. The reason why divorce has increased may be down to legislation, it is easy to obtain a divorce and costs less. Also in society today as Gibson (1994) states there is an increasing emphasis upon desirability of individual achievement, and less emphasis on togetherness. The ideology of the market is to emphasise consumer choice, if fulfillment is not forthcoming through your first choice of marriage partner then you are likely to leave. Also the nuclear family has come under threat by state policy. The policy to encourage single mothers to work and the acceptance of homosexuality has posed a threat to the nuclear family by allowing other non-traditional family structures to continue and support them. The Equal Pay Act and the improved rights of women have led to women having more freedom and more independency, not needing the economic support of a male. Also legislation on abortion has given women sexual freedom, they then are not as committed to the family as a result of experiencing such freedom.

Religion would definitely disagree with the view that the family is in decline. Religious beliefs in many various religions reinforce "family values". To look out for, care for, support and sharing with family members makes a place in many holy books. Blood relatives could describe one another as family, but according to generalizations could not cal themselves a family.

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In societies based upon the same religious beliefs family values and family roles and the functions they perform would be an important concept, H.Spencer once said; "the welfare of the family underlies the welfare of society", if this view was to be accepted, then if family is in decline, society is in decline. Nuclear family clearly does have an important place in societies, It is evident that in societies, there are many variations of families, and therefore it could be seen that the definition of the term "Family" is out of date and unjust to modern society.

The family is a key agent of socialization; Parsons stated that the nuclear family performs two core functions; the primary socialization of children, and the stabilization of adult personalities. The nuclear family as an agent of socialization has therefore been reduced to the two core functions, this is because the state provides families with more support for rearing their children, for example the state now provides child support, education, social security and so on. The family has become specialized in the functions that it performs, other agencies cannot provide the love, nurturing and stability that parents provide within the nuclear family. Instead of parents providing the education themselves which would have been common in the past, they will encourage their children in succeeding. Fletcher argues that the family are increasingly under pressure as the expected standards of fulfillment of the essential functions of the family have improved therefore the demands have increased. Fletcher stated that the essential functions of the family are the procreation of children and child rearing, the regulation of sexual behaviour and the provision of the home. These essential functions are what keeps the family temporarily happy and can make the family unaware of the other functions it should perform, as functions are now provided by the state. Although the state provides a lot of the necessary functions, as Fletcher argues, the family are under pressure, and because families have still got an important task in the socialization of their children or as Fletcher puts it, "Rearing" the nuclear family will still remain an important agent in socialization and therefore not in decline.

Family life has vastly changed to how it used to be, the traditional way we view family may have changed too. I believe the nuclear family is not in decline but has changed and will continue to change. People have new experiences in life which may alter the way they live their life and therefore may have a different family structure. The family has diversified, but the traditional nuclear family has not as such declined but adapted slightly to meet the new functions of society.

Is the family declining.

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