Reasons for decline in the extended family
- Created by: Kristina_
- Created on: 03-04-17 16:17
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- Reasons for decline in the extended family
- The need for geographical mobility
- Contemporary society has a specialised division of labour, with a wide range of different occupations with different incomes and lifestyles
- The workforce needs to be geographically mobile to be able to move around the country to areas where their skills are required
- This often involves leaving relatives behind, as they might have commitments at home
- The higher rate of social mobility in contemporary societies
- Higher levels of social mobility men that different members of the extended family may find themselves in different jobs, with differences in education, income, lifestyle and values between kin
- These differences weaken relationships between kin, as they have less in common
- The growth in people's wealth and income as society has got richer and the welfare state has developed
- People are much better off today and the welfare state has taken over a number of functions previously performed by the family, such as education and healthcare
- This has reduced dependence on kin for support in times of distress
- The growth in meritocracy in contemporary societies
- Contemporary societies require more skills and education for jobs, and are more meritocratic
- It is more what you know - rather than who you know, so extended family have less to offer family members, such as job opportunities, therefore reducing their reliance on kin
- However, kin links remain very important for the upper class, for the inheritance of wealth and for access into the top elite
- The need for geographical mobility
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