Sociology Topic 4

STATISTICS- In 2001, the fertility rate hit the lowest fertility rate of 1.63 children per women in 2001, however since then it has risen to 1.83 in 2014. However, if you compare this to the post-war baby boom during the 1960s it is far lower than the fertility rate of 2.95 which was the peak fertility rate during this time.

CAUSES- the trends and patterns may be because of the fact that more women are remaining childless than in the past as it is more normal for women not to have children. Also, women are having children later during their 30s and 40s, where women are less fertile and therefore can reproduce fewer children in their later years. This is because due to medical advances women have the choice when they want to get pregnant.

CONSEQUENCES- The consequences of having a lower fertility rate means that families are smaller and more people don’t even have children. This will also mean that there will be less workers in the future compared to what there are now as there will be less people to fill the roles, this may be a problem. Functionalists would argue that is not a good thing as it means that the roles everyone is assigned to in the workplace now will not be filled and therefore there may be gaps and this could affect how society runs. A marxist would argue that this means that there could be an increase in meritocracy levels, which is a good thing as there are more jobs on offer for the next generation and therefore people have the choice in what they do and can move up and down the meritocracy ladder. Feminists would argue that it is a good thing as it shows how women will have a life outside of childcare as less children at older ages means they have more independence and power to do what they want. This gives them more life chances and therefore there is more equality between the sexes.

Dual-earning families

STATISTICS- in the last 30-40 years the number of dual-earning families has doubled

CAUSES- Smaller families mean that women are more likely to have the independency and freedom to work as well as the fact, women now have more of an opportunity to work, whereas before they did not, and therefore want to work to have some financial independency, as well as earn for the family and therefore earn too.

Also, there has been more inflation in the last 50 years and so therefore the cost of living is more expensive meaning that many families cannot rely on just one family's income and so both parents have to work.

CONSEQUENCES- The consequences are that it means that there is more economic stability in households, which means that it boosts our economy.  A feminist would also say that the increase gives women more power in the household as whereas before men were the breadwinners and had 100% control of the finances, nowadays, as women earn money too they have control too, there is more equality in the household. A functionalist would disagree with this as they would argue that men should be the breadwinners and women should be the careers, so that the children have a career to watch over them and teach them the norms and values of our society.

Births outside of marriage

STATISITCS- in 2011, 40% of births took place outside of marriage compared to in 1960 where it was only 5%.

CAUSES- marriage isn’t considered a necessity for a couple/family in today’s society, compared to 60 years ago where marriage was seen as very important and therefore it was stigmatised if you weren't married. Consequently, births outside of marriage was hugely stigmatised and therefore was almost unheard off 60 years ago. Nowadays, it isn’t stigmatised at all if you have a child outside of marriage and therefore is more common. Also, women can choose when they want to have a child due to things such as the pill. Religion is seen as less important nowadays and therefore there are more atheists and therefore people that don't believe in marriage. CONSEQUENCES- The consequences to births outside of marriage are that the children are more likely to be brought up in single-parent households, live in poverty and have socio-emotional problems Feminists would see this as a good thing as it shows that women are controlling when they want to have a baby showing that they have more equality. Functionalists would argue that this is a bad thing as in the nuclear family, parents are married and the nuclear family is essential to raising children to conform to society's norms and values.

Birth Rate

STATISTICS- in the 1960s the birth rate peaked due to the post-war baby boom, then gradually the birth rate decreased until 1974 where it hit the lowest recorded birth rate. It then moderately increased in the early 1990s, before plummeting again in 2004. Since 2004 there has been a very slight increase in the birth rate.

CAUSES- less people are having children or having children at a later age. This is because women have a choice whether or not they want to have children and therefore many women choose to spend there lives in other ways such as travelling or working, that they may not be able to do if they have children. Also, children are more expensive and the cost of living is high and therefore some people cannot afford to have children. Women are having children later during their 30s and 40s, where women are less fertile and therefore don't have as many children causing the fertility rate to be lower ultimately affecting the birth rate to be lower.

CONSEQUENCES- The consequences of having a lower birth rate mean that there is now more of an ageing population. This means people are living longer but less people are being born. Functionalists would argue that this is a bad thing as it means that roles in society cannot be filled and therefore there will be gaps, therefore society may not be able to run smoothly as it is now. Marxists would argue this is a good thing as there are more jobs available and therefore more opportunities and life chances for people to work there way up too, therefore society is more meritocratic. Feminists would argue that it is a good thing as it shows how women will have a life outside of childcare as less children at older ages means they have more independence and power to do what they want. This gives them more life chances and therefore there is more equality between the sexes.

STATISTICS- 2 million statistics, 1/4 of families with children, 2% teenagers, higher divorce rates in 2016, constant increase since 1950s.

CAUSES- Changing attitudes towards religion and marriage/ women having more power and being finacially independent so therefore they don't need to rely on a husband. 

CONSQUENCES- Rely on one-parent fincally so its harder for them, may have to therefore rely on welfare benefits and working extra jobs to pay for the expenses. This means than more tax money is being spent on the welfare benefit systerm. 

STATISTICS- 544,000 stepfamilies with dependent families (2011)/ risen since 1950s at slow increase.

CAUSES- changing attitudes to religion and remarriage and therefore less stigma, meaning there is an increase. Marriage is less important so therefore divorce isnt seen as such a big thing and therefore there is more divorce and then people meet other people who have had a divorce leading to a new marriage. 

CONSQUENCES- children have two sets of parents and therefore have more people to rely on meaning they may feel safer. However, this could mean they also might not get on with there step-family and therefore may distance themselves from there family as well as there step-family. Bigger families - step-sisers/brothers/aunties/uncles/grandparents etc. Also, means more second marriages which could help marriage rate as well as it means there will have of had to have been more divorces. 

STATISTICS- increase in single hood since 1950s and according to the BBC 51% of the popualtion are single (2011)

CAUSES- more people delaying marriage and staying single, due to people's attitudes to religion and marriage changing, marriage has lost some of its in importantce to some people. Women are now choosing to have a career over a reationship and this means they establish themselves in the workplace before having a serious relationship.It also means that women might be loosing the chance to have a child as they miss the opportunity as they may be too old and this may be a reason why.

CONSQUENCES- means the birth rate and fertility rate are lower as well as the marriage rate. Women are becoming more successful in the workplace and this may help the gender pay gap as a big reason for the glass ceiling is due to women being temporary as they have maternity leave. 

STATISTICS- beanpole families been on the increase since 1960s. 

CAUSES- this is because of the ageing popualtion of britain and the youngest generations having less children at older ages, the beanpole family structure is lots of olfer relatives all at a similar age then a big age gap with fewer younger children who are the same age this creates the beanpole structure, this is because of lower birth rates therefore the younger generations are smaller. 

CONSQUENCES- means that children will be socialised to be have children later as this will be seen as the common norm for society. This will also mean that there will be a larger gap between the older generation and the younger generation.

STATISTICS- The average age of the UK population is rising. In 1971, it was 34.1 years, by 2013, it stood at 40.3. by 2037, it is predicted to reach 42.8. There are fewer young people and more old people. The number aged 65 or over is equal to the number of under 15 year olds for the first time ever in 2014.

CAUSES- This ageing of the population is caused by: Increasing life expectancy - people are living longer into old age, Declining infant mortality - nowadays hardly anyone dies early in life, and Declining fertility - fewer young people are being born in relation to the number of older people in the population.

CONSEQUENCES - Older people consume a larger proportion of services such as health and social care than other age groups. In addition, it also raises the retirement age as people are living for longer.

STATISTICS - As the death rate has fallen, life expectancy has increased. Over the past two centuries, life expectancy has increased by about two years per decade.

Males born in England 1900 could expect on average to live until they were 50, 57 for females. Males born in England in 2013 can expect to live for 90.7, 94 for females

CAUSES - One reason for lower average life expectancy in 1900 was the fact that so many infants and children did not survive the early years of life. A new-born baby today has a better chance of reaching its 65th birthday than a baby in 1900 did of reaching its first birthday. In addition, people are living longer today due to some other factors including medical breakthroughs and healthier lifestyles.

CONSEQUENCES - Until recently, most people have only had a few years to live after they have retired, however but now they can live up to 15 years after they have retired. As the number of years spent in retirement is increasing, financial problems has emerged. In addition, as people are living longer, they are eating more food, drinking more water and are using more sustainable energy etc. the consumption of society is growing and increasing as the life expectancy is getting higher and higher, so the population is getting bigger and the demand is increasing.

STATISTICS- There is a decline in the death rate. The death rate is the number of deaths per thousand of the population per year. In 1900, the death rate stood at 19, whereas by 2012 it had more than halved to, 8.9. the death rate had already begun falling from about 1870 and continued to do so until 1930.  It rose slightly during the 1930s and 1940s - a period of the Great Depression, followed by World War II - but since the 1950s it has declined slightly.

CAUSES - Over 3/4 of the decline in the death rate from about 1850 to 1970 was due to the fall in the number of deaths from infectious diseases such as diphtheria, measles, smallpox, typhoid and tuberculosis . It is possible that the population began to develop some natural resistance or that some diseases became less powerful.

CONSEQUENCE - As people are living longer, they are eating more food, drinking more water and are using more sustainable energy etc. the consumption of society is growing and increasing as the life expectancy is getting higher and higher, so the population is getting bigger and the demand is increasing.

STATISTICS- The share of American women in their mid-40s who are childless appears to be at its lowest point in 20 years. In 2014, 15% of women ages 40-44 had not given birth to any children.This is down from 20% in 2005 and similar to the rate of childlessness in 1994. High levels of childlessness for women born in the 1900s, declining levels for women born between 1910 and 1949, followed by an increase among those born after 1950.

CAUSES -  Women are now choosing to have a career over a reationship and this means they establish themselves in the workplace before having a serious relationship.It also means that women might be loosing the chance to have a child as they miss the opportunity as they may be too old and this may be a reason why.

CONSEQUENCES -means the birth rate and fertility rate are lower. Women are becoming more successful in the workplace and this may help the gender pay gap as a big reason for the glass ceiling is due to women being temporary as they have maternity leave.