Family as an Institution ': ··· 1

•. 243
Hindu Succession Act, women too have got the ~ight to i~'&ri~-the l\n~estral
propert y. ·This .h~s affect d t~! relative stat~se s of . the . ~~~'} ~ the
daugh~ rs in the. )'om{ fflm1ly. ·
7
· - - -·~
iiid:a Functions of tfieJoint'F-al!l~Y 1
..

~U':9~ lonal ~unction 7J::i J . . . ,., ·· .

The JOtnt fart11ly used to pr~ed ucat,o n to 1tk member~ as there was no
need for any formal education. In modern times, gr~ater importa nce is· given ·
to formal education becaus e it is a period of speciali zation. The educational
function of the joint family is .now performed ·-by formal institutions like
schools, colleges, universities, etc. T~e joint family has been deprived of
this function. ,/
,l. Ecom>mic Fµnction
There was ·a time when all the .members produced as well as consumed
1

jointly. But how the joint family has become · fl!Ore of a _consumption unit. Its
economic function has become severely unit~~- The ijnk betw.een the family
and lh~ economy has become ·more indir:ect. ·._ · .
J~ O~up.ational Training ,
The joint family used to .-impart occupational . fr~ning to its_ membe rs
because t~e members were .engaged .in the familial -~rade. Thus _ t he tricks
of t~e trade. were transmitted from ·_one gene·rft!Q.n. to \tpe other.- In presen t
Ume~, professional and vocational instituJions\ have tal<~n ,up •_the function
of imparting .occupational skills. '· \ . ·.. · __
~ Marriage · · · \ \ . \ · ,
"In a joint family, marriage was con·sidered to b~ the : field of the _. elders
because they used to arrange marriages for the. you.pger gener.ation. With
hi-gher age at ni"arriage, education and eco.nomic independenc~, young
people prefer
.
to select marriag e partne·r. of ·their. own \choice. , - ·
. . . . \

5=Recreational Functio~s . \ .
T~ jQ.!!'~ family use~ to per.form recreatid~ al functions fl>t its members.
Th~ mem~r s. were e\~tertained witb $tor,i e~ folk-song~ an~ dances. But
science and technology have ushered in a ne~ era where radio, television,
video--player, cable teleyision, cinema, etc. have taken up .this functiqn ·
from the joint family. .
~. Religious Functions · · 'lr ..

T~e joint family had a

common religion which helped it to foster greater
unity among the members. ~o~adays, family members belong to -the same
religion yet the~ ~re free to -~lqw
the f~mily religious . rituals or not. They
may even endorse different ligious 'ideologies. .
' . \
Polltloat ·Functions " ·
1• Members •belonging to the saril~ family may profess and follow different\
,_. .

political ideologies. They oai,vote. for different ,political partie$. The husband

-~-,
may balo-n·g to 009, po'lltical party and the wife and children may endorse
the policies of a~er political party.
.
 .RJ1rlngs In Soclology (Part 1)

"l'he above noted changes Indicate that the size of the joint family has been
reduced and as a result, the network of relations haa also got reduced.
With regard to the functions, the joint family nowadays performs only
those functio n• which a nuclea r family performs and all the additional
functions ft used to perform have been taken over by different formal
lnatltutiona. But with regard to the structure, the Joint family is still patriarchal
and rnale dominated. Whatever changea are there, they are in composition
and not In the structure of the Joint family. In the words of Tylor and
entmlnter, only the traditional functions of the Joint family ~ c~anging
but the joint families have still kept their structure intact. ,,,,, F

~\ 1--- · Nuclear Faml'J" _

~ nuclear famUy 11 one which consists of tfl'e husband;l11e wife and their
toclally recognized children. It includes only members of two generations,
I.e.; parents and _thelr unrnamed children. It is an autono mous unit free
ftom the control of the elders. Since the newly weds create a separate
r residence, the phyatcal distance between parents and the marrie d child or
parents and grand parents minimizes the interdependence between them.
As stated ~Y Murdock, in eve s le eve adult in
of at least· two ·nuc ear families, the family of orienta tion and the famil of
procrea 'or,. , an n epen en soc a unit and is charac erized by the
predorrilnanee of the feelings of equality and cooperation. It is the basic
I

unit from which more complex familial forms are compo unded .
In modern times, the nuclear family is becoming increa singly popular. Its
predominance seems· to be due to the growth of individ ualisti c attitudes
1

~ng members. _1! cannot and does not give shelte r to para_s ites (aii is
the case with the joint family). It is based on the ideals of individual
~plne ss and self fulfilment. It al~o encourages social as well as geographical
mobility.
I - ear f~mity, the primar y relations are ·of three types :
· • Husba nd-wjf e. - .,
• Parent-children.
• SibUng.•
In the nuclea r family, the rela-tions are limited·.t o the husband~wife network. ·
Paren t•child ren relaUoos and sibling relatio ns are not very _important.
Secon dly; it is,c~JJed ·a nuclear- family because- the nucleus of. association
is conjugal tie$'.e~ d other. ki~smen have . na .rQle .ioplay. .. ., ,, ... , .

~ - Boo~ , however, (;to~~ n~t agree _to _this proposition. _He is of the
opiruonhat even In a nucleat :Jamily,. kinsmen do play an importan·t role .
.Hence, siJcb a family is neithe r isolate d rior ·tree from the interference of
:the kin,smen. As most of the· netwo rk •of reiatio ns are ·umite d to the
h11sband-Wife _assoc iatio~ ~e calls it - a· _Conju gal Family. It is for this
reason that Western ,sociolog_ i$ts-,_are of the opinion that when tl'Y~ relationship
betwe en hus~and anu wife is dissolved; the family is•titis$·olved.· such an
 mium on con jugal relatlaf !I• ~ e -.;~" uuu c, ~u111u
explan ! tion puts hig h pre
the m:1c'l~ar family in ·a ~etter way if we
,.., .
look at its ,main features. I
I

12.1s.1 M Features
LS ma H~ :H
main members of the family
uclear family by definition is small. The
n. The children after marriage do
are the husband, the wife and their childre I '\.,)
sta
_ y h the ir pat ent s but establish separate households. . ' ~ .. 0
not
l 41.,v-.b/~ ~ d io~ ,~ fk .o ~ •
Co · galAelatlona
the relationshi between the
basic network of the nuclear family is
EP ·
husband and the w, e. e ma or
. are there, they live separately when they grow up and marry.
c J, ren

husband and the wife. They enter

~ ~ l y equality between the
this rela tionship by mutua l consen t. They are partners.and play complementary
into
the hus ban d pla ys instrum ental roles, the wife plays expressive
roles .. If.
r and inferior roles .
r1tjes. · ere is no question of superio
• .
~~~o~M~~
aking process is of a democratic
In the nuclear family, the decision-m
tly take decisions. If they have grown
·nature,_,Th~ husband and the wife join
ldre n, the y als o par tici pat e in the ·fa,mily decisions. It · is through
up chi . .
. · ·
cpns~fi~~s tha t decisi~ns are arrived at.

and, wife exe r~ise authorit~ jOintlyi tn the pattlarchial socie~.- .

·C : n d
· m~ I~ me mb er who ·dominates. In the western .society, · the male
· it js the
and wife have the ir own spheres of
dominan,ce JS ·not there. Both -husb~nd ·
·auttiorit : . .· . -
-· . ' '
, .~
111~~
.
'P '
~e-~ ~l~h~ ~usbap<i--and t~!_..,
~ .- .
t).1,
!rJ! Wl &,PrO~ §rty is e
_it~e~ join _tly'Q~
e-n~u-acJQ
__.,.;nP.t!'l"'-
~ -wifeJ:lr>they_~a~e, co~tr9J_- .QY.~t,,?roger~~-
-m.dfv~puallY,..1.~ lli! !:} ~~ ~~ ! . ' ! !
the _w1f.e fia~e sep ara te · ro ~
- 1~ !~e \
Jl!M ,!) !-
~~ 2!,._ fn!.2.~!t~_Ji! '!L
a•nd 1

accoun s ye t w ,~. ~ !fJz~MX~-~

!!1~\i ~9ntro!;_· : ._ : _ -
~
T •
• ' ~ ,

-~ , , · · -. · · -.
,
•

lndt\l
•

ISff:I ~·
-

r - rka <I~ ~ ! · sen s~ Qi iod:jvidu~Jism~. The , young ·

. e nuc lea fam ify is ma
s ent er in~o me ;rita l · t@ !~io n~: · ~as ed_ ,o.n ·m.YlY~.1~-~ov~ .,! he y~-.c·ontinu'!
eerson
to maint~i.Q_ttle;r e~r..sonal iif~ withou t b~,i:~~«i!:!!~'! '!Pl~ !>~ ! : . ~~-
a~a ow; :
µ_.lJjg iv.14!l~! .,!~Y§.... · ·
i:_he~ con ti~µ ~ ~!t ~.th~ ir:-_ wrk .. -~h~ :ir-
not ed fea ture s hel p .us to u·n der starid the natl)r$.-of thEt -nu.clft~r
The abo ve
i
:Jy ban d .anc :t the wif e hav~ almosf:~qu-al status and retain
fam wh ere the hus
ir ind jvid ua- Uty . Th~ y ·eqt Jal' ly par ti61 p~t e~1h'~ e family decisions and are
the
d to ind ivid ual pro per ty. In cas e the y are .no_t abJe to make adjustment
entitle
the y bre ak up -.the rela tiop eas Uy )~~ ~ seek new -con}ug~: ,,
wtth. each oth ~r,
partners.
 248 flltldntlS in SockJlagy (Part 1)

12.11 unotiOIIS of the Nucl•r Family

nuclear lanit, ,- a family of minimum functionality. It does not perform
Ill those lunctk>nt which the joint family performs. It takes the help of
va,loua formal 1natitUdon1 tor carrying oul various !Unctions for its members.
Even the function• at performs are undergoing changes.

1 1, ill the fanlllY that children are born. But with the change in the
marriall• 1n1titution, chlldren are being born outaide marriage. These
children, however, do not get the recognition of the society. These days,
hoW$V8r, the hulband and tne wife in some cases decide not to have
ch,lldnm at they are a hindrance in their personal achievement. We can
say that the nuclear family is also not performing even its reproductive
fun~n.
~lzatton
i;iie family ts the !JPJ ba~ic institution in ~hic_h th! individual learns the
. _!!rst IHsons of his/her hie,_ In contemporary socrety. we find that the
/ !n!,C1ear fami}yjs also failingjn thi§_QUtvhSmall childreo ate left to the care
Q1 bli!Y·•lttelJ, nurse1ies, crecbes, etc, The children learn rn_ore trci'm
thne 111sliMlons lhaO frQro !heir JWIDIS.-- who are not always available to-
~ ptece,nent. .- . - - .

I.be nucl~ar larnilv daea not play an important role in providing recognition
~ Its-children. Th_e _parental social statUS is ~ssed on to the children
.• tho?h WLIOI hY1~gj~ JI society where-achieved status js given mor~
'~'{'r 8J1,;e
ftt tam111al _iofluence in the form of econQl[!iC and polif I
!:~ oes help the 9~1ldre.lLl!!....!!ablish themseJve§in the society IC!!.
· le Coope,.tfon _.:__
inuclear family, there is ec · ·
and thewite but not betwee,n Rar~~~sm~~~~o~erat100 be.tween the. husband
l!P eo_d Glirl earning, they.Jw_eQ iiiiiir incomh1ld~~n. When the childf!ffl grow
also .sdtop hel in · the.m:.. ~;-=•=:,-;--;;;.0 wn-u~ w~~- !~-!-~~8_~Y:--~~- The ~arents
_ _ 1r old _ • . 1'- -' ...,__,,.._.__ ._., _ - - obbgatio1L
_ _"-1.~. aen :~~~ges 1n the-Nuclear Fa~ily t v ,. ·
- . oge1 regard the nuclear fa ·1 ·· . ·
an ideal type, of a man, and a . m1 Y, as ~ stru:!,ural- - . om~osed, as
ong w1~ t en-e I dren. How=~~~ i omed m a soc,~ - . d uni;
~ the ~Jat1ons are ,l~mlted to th ri
::.i:on: ani:I sibling reiatlons a:e n~~
11
:a~i-7
6 s :.argued that m the nuclear famjjy,_
e network. Tbe parenl-cfiild
and o ecause. the n cleus (centre} is th mpo~ant. II is called a nuclear
er • men..bive no e con u al _ .
not agree with this ,.,roe to Pay. . 1am o d S--
famlly kinsm proposition. He is of the o . . • o . e, er, does
isolat;d nor ;'" d~ 1>!ay_ an import~nt rote. He~~:on th~t even _in ~ nuclear
. - ·r,~ ro.m interference by k' ' sue a family 1s neither
The tr .ditional nucle r . . msmen. .
l~Jt ~ou111e. QI decad,11s. These -ch:n u;dergone ~rastic changes durinJ! the
he~dmgs-composition, structure a~nds cfan ~e d1scuss~YJJ.d"i°rJhree~main -
. . unctions. - - -- !J.•- -
........ -
 247
.
ange In the Composition of the Nuclear Family
ne--cnmposition of the nuclear family has undergone drastic changes
is
especially in the western societies. The institution of marriage which
the basis for the family institution is losing its importance. In modern.
times, no importance is given to marriage. Young couples live together
without even getting married. There are also instances of unwed mothers.
Sometimes, people marry with an understanding that they will not have
.
children of their own. Young unmarried females are adopting children and
staying with them. There are also cases when the members of the .same
sex s ~ s marry and live together, e.g., homosex.uals . .
~~h ang es In the Structur9t of the Nuclear Family .
~ i ; ; is no more found to. existi n a nuclear family. ·Each 'rfreffllfe'f 'hks-
'to
control over his/her own actions ~nd the decisions are taken according ·
person interests. ·; ·
f
~ _ rty .. . / .
;
he husba!ld and the wife are usually engaged in different occupations
hence they maintain -separate bank accounts. They have full 'control over
their indi · property. They equally contribute to the househ~ld expenses.
sion-~aking .
Decisions are taken either jointly or individually. In certain areas like household
expenses·, the wife takes in~tpendent decisions and in other areas, the
husband takes independer:1t,d'ftisions.· It is only in certain spheres ·that th~y
·take jo~- -<iJecis~ons. . · .
1Sh mg of Jobs- - < - . : .;·_ · ·· ·. ·__ ·
e husband and the wife enjoy equal status. In most of the families where
the
wives a·re working, the husband and the wife not only plan the affairs of
'famny together, but also exchange many hou·sehold tasks and spend · m"'ch
of their leisure time together.
f t(u · o Children . .. .
he modern nuclear family, the number of children is very small. The
rec·e. nt trend is not to go for childre n so that the parents ,
may not need to
• ✓

ing
look· after them. Some ·couples enter into marriage with an -understand
that they· will not have ·any children o.r they will go for adoption.'
r
The above explanation describes the structure of the modern nuclea
family whi is marked by individualism.
1 .3.3 Changes In the Functions of the Nuclear Family ·
he nuclear family is a family of minimum functionality. There are .ch~nges
even in the fu ctions which the nuclear family . is expected to perform.
} ,-Pr . on
It s in the family that children are born but with the changeG l.{l
lhe
marriage institution, children can be born even outside marriage.. Secon
dly,
 noau ,•,y" ' '" ~V(;I UIOfJ Y (Mil l 1)

young couples treat children as ~ hindrance

in their personal achievements.
Hence, etimes they do not go for children at all
•

~
.. ' -l'• : ,1 '
804
,s~bllZlelltielov~ that the family is the · main'
institution of the society which
socializes its members for the expected
behaviour patterns. In the family,
the individual learns the first lessons of his
life. The family is considered
transmission belt through which the norma
8 tive pattern of the society is
inculcated in the individual. Yet we find tha
t the family is now failing in this
duty. Mothers are mostly working. As a
result, young children are lef!_.!Q_
the care of baby-sitters; nurseries, creche
s etc. JearA mor.e
rom these insti · _ eir arent _
to em. The television, the video, the cab . ·
le T. V., the baby-sitters or the
I I I I I
O • e1r soc1a 1zm s.
-
· n no only give birth to the children but
are also responsible for their
social placement. But, in modern societies,
status is achieved. Hence, each
individual has to struggle for attaining a stat
us for himself or herself. Many a
. time, however, parental influence does help
children to secure a beneficial
position in the society. But social placem
ent · is not now ent irel y the
parent responsibility.
~ · omlc Coope~tlon
I the nuclear family, there may be econom
ic cooperation between the
usband and the wife .but it is not there betw
een parents and childr~n. In the
western countries, when the children grow-up
and start ea~J1ing, .!l:ley_keep
th1;tir earnings with themselves. They live sep
working. The parents have no obligation to help thei
arately as soon as
they start
r children to .be economi~ally
independent. Similarly, grown-·up children· hav
e no economic obligation
.towards their old parents. This trend is also
seen in modern urban nuclear
·families in India.
·
Parson a ar ues that the nuclear family has not
so much lost its functions
as it ·ha more s ecia 1ze in. its functions. · e
· 11 LS ·om
fewer things ·but ·it is doing these things ratb
e.r we lt
The above discussion -,helps us to understand
t~·~atltre of the changes
that have taken place 1n :Ille nuclear family.
The-nuclear family is becoming
more and more individuallstic ·and specific
iri nat·tJre.
We can understand .the changes in the fam
ily institution through following
cha r · ·
. . .
Tradlt·lonal Family Emergent .fami.ly
r. . a ; dy structure rigidt°y hierarchical, Family inc rea sin gly democratic,
autocratic and .patriarcha1, The status
equ~litarian _
~ Relationship is based
of wife is lower to husband. More on give and take consensus. Conjugal
importance is given to parent-child relations are mor$· important.
relationship.
 Famlly as an lnstltutJOn it4~

Tradltlonal Family
Firm and unquestioned ties of loyalty Family more couple and child centered.
to near and . distant kin (parents, Weaker ties with kinsmen.
grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins).
Family fulfills a variety of functions Family divested of many traditional
(major source of education, recreation, functions, emphasis increasingly on
religious training, social control and affection and on socialization of infants.
value orientations of members).
Family stability and cohesion les Family instability, more conflict, greater
overt friction and greater consensu generational gap in terms of values.
between generations. Higher incidence of broken homes.
Domestic violence is prevalent
phenomenon. Emergent family forms
are single parent famil'ies, step parent
familes and same sex partner families.

Let us .now take up the factors which are responsible f9r bringing about
changes in th · titution of the family-both joint and m..1clear. .

of Change ./ dJ..
alization ·. T
. · rial revo~ution has force~ the family members to leave their traditional
work Jn the villages and to ·mov-e-to the cities in search of. new jobs. This
physical mobiHt~ has dist.urbed-__the tra~·iti~nal family syst~rn. People are
n.p .lllq~ under the contr~I .of _their;~-ki_nsmep. In the faGtory syst~m, formal
rules regulated-.i~eir Ute: Their J.q.b 'bri;h.'gs t_
h~.g,- into. cqntact with strangers.
These mig.rants establish thek famil!es ~t or near the work pl~ce according
- to their· own Ukings rather: thc;1n accgrdi,:tg tQ .the . ~;i-shes of t_
. ' . t t ~ ~ • - ·_
heir Wn~men.
. ~ - • • . : ;. .-.

12.-ts.2 esternization _....

Wes ern societies are industriall_y ~dvaricec;j and rich. P~opJe-in,t1n_ 9erdeve~op~d .
countries have a weakness _for th~ glitter :<?f tne: W~ste_ r'n world. As.; a result,
they aiways _'-Yant to. imit~te the -W ~te_
m sbcJetie_ ~·: they ~ls.,o_t~n~~-.t~-~ see·:·~i~p. -
in a new perspective. They: fee( that · urban .hfe · provJdes the-m·. -retat1ve
freedom from the interferenc·e of \he eld~rs. 'Tnerefo~e, .they are reluctant
to· return to . t e tutelage of their · elders:Th±fs, Western influence has
played · rmportant role in affecting the family institutic.n in India: ~ ·
1 . .3 Urbanization . · \·
The urban -way of life i~ marked wUlt!ormalism. U~~-a-n life ·often e·nge~der~
desires for a higher standard of livingw.i!h its attendant comforts _a~~ new
nd~viijuaHty
types of rec-reation and leisure. Urbanization s.eems to ·emphasize i_
and privacy, which gives anothe.r incentive to ·being independent-.~f the
.250 Readings in Sociology (Part 1)
' ..-
large family ,group. Further, the urban areas are not a61e t~ accommodate
large famines because of limited space. Therefore, the family has suffered
with regar . ,ts quality of relationships and size.

12 . Higher Age at Marriage . '°' .

With the increase .in the age at mam~g~ for both boys and_ girls, people,
when they enter into marital relations, a_r~ t-ully grown-up. This has bro~ght
about changes in the attitud~ .afld opm1on of ~he people. The_ re~at1?ns
between husband and wife have undergone drastic changes. Egalitarianism
has replaced, the authoritarian attitude of the husbands.
12.~c:ation ·
Education helps to broaden the mental horizon. With higher education,
females have become aware of their rights and they question the asymmetrical
relations in the family. It is believed that modern education is incompatible
with the ideals of the traditional family, which suppresses the ·f~elings of
democracy and individualism. Thus education has played a very {mportant
role not only in improving the status of women but also in bringing about
change in ~ family institution.
12.16K'.fem'lnist
- , Movement
The feminist movement has brought about subtle changes in societal
relations and set up. The f·emir\ist movement in India can be said to have
• \c

commenced since the times of .Lord Bentink and Raja Ram Mohan Roy.
These movements helped in checking a number of evil practices like
femal,e infanticide, Sati, Devadasi, etc. which had subjected Indian women
to inhuman treatment. The feminist movement has helped women to improve
their social status. Women have started enjoying a higher status vis-a-vis
their ,rec1ecessor,. As a result, their outlook has also undergone changes
which tlave led to the weakening of the joint family bonds because women
have alway een relegated to a subservient secondary position in a joint
fa Hy.
12.1~1 loclal Legl1latlon1
Different aoc1at tegislations like the Hindu Law of Inheritance (1929), Hindu
Women•, Right to Property (1937), Hindu Succeaaion Act (1956). Hindu
Marriaot Act (1955), Dowry Prohibition Act (1961 ), etc. have provided greater
frtldom lftd protection to women In matter& of marriage, divorce and Inheritance.
They have 1l10 1trengthened the poaitlon of women v1, ..a-v1, that of men.
At the same _time. they have weakened the traditional family aystem.
Wom,n J-" divorce their hu1band1 and can claim compensation.
11.1" Ideological Gap
Kapadia f11l1 that the greattat threat to the joint family come, from the
rww idtologi11. T~ i~•~logicll •P P between th• younger generation and
the oldtr gen1r1t1on ii 1ncr111lng menacingly. The younger people who
Family as an lnstitutiOn 251
hav e now dev elo ped the spi rit of equ alit y, ind
ivid ua lism an d de mo cr~ cy
find It ext rem ely diff icu lt to sub ord ina te the ms
elv es to the ove rpo we rin g
aut hor ity of the eld ers in the join t fam ily.
Th e abo ve fac tor s are res pon sib le for bri ngi ng
ab ou t cha ng es in th~ fam ily
wit h reg ard to the qua lity of rel atio nsh ips be twe
en hu sba nd an d wif e an d
par ent s and chi ldr en. Th e fam ily is bec om ing
mo re de mo cra tic du e to the
abo ve not ed cha nge s. In con clu sio n, we can say
tha t the family, alt ho ug h a
ver y sm all uni t, is als o a ver y com ple x uni t. Its
com ple xity de riv es pa rtly
fro m the fac t tha t it inc lud es peo ple of diff ere
nt ag es an d ge ne rat ion s
wh ose rel atio nsh ips to eac h oth er are con sta
ntl y cha ng ing thr ou gh the
pro ces s of age ing are pa rtly fro m the est abl ish
me nt of ne w rel ati on shi ps
and the bre aki ng of old ties . Its com ple xity als
o de riv es fro m the fac t tha t
mo st of us hav e be en or are de ep ly inv olv ed in
an d sha pe d by the se fam ily
exp eri enc es, wh ich see m uni que an d pe rso na
l to ea ch ind ivid ua l. Th e
fam ily pla ys a vita l rol e in me dia ting be twe en
wh at C. Wr igh t MI iia ha s
cal led "pe rso na l tro ub les " and "pu blic iss ue s". Th
us the fam ily is a con jug al
uni t wh ich no t on ly stil l pe rsis ts bu t wh ich con tin
ue s to evo lve an d de vel op
and wh ich is a sou rce of con flic t as we ll as
str en gth .