FAMILY AND INSTITUTION

FAMILY AND INSTITUTION

The word family is derived from the word “famulus” meaning servant in Roman.
A family is a mating relationship or a form of marriage. It has a system of
nomenclature, known by a name and has its own reckoning descent. A family
requires economic provision to satisfy the economic needs and a common
habitation for shelter. Family is a universal group and it is the first institution in
the historic men. It is a close-knit group which fortifies emotions. The size if the
family is limited. The family exercises the most profound influence over its
members. The family is the nucleus of all other social groups. The meaning of
social responsibility and the necessity of cooperation is learnt from a family. The
family is peculiarly guarded by social customs and legal regulations. Family as an
institution is permanent. To trace the origin of family is a very difficult task as
families have existed since a very long time ago. Some early anthropologists put
forth the Theory of primitive promiscuism. According to thus theory the “original
state of mankind was one of animals.” There was neither family nor mating but
just promiscuous relationships between men and women. We can conclude that
family has no origin. However it has an origin in certain needs of man like need for
procreation, sexual urge and economic needs. On the basis of authority family can
be classified into patriarchal or matriarchal. Under the patriarchal family, the man
is the head of the family and possess inclusive powers. He enjoys full authority
over the family members.

Here the wife comes to live in the husband’s home after marriage. He is the
supreme owner of the property. Descent is reckoned through the father. In a
matriarchal family the supreme power lies with the woman of the family. Here
descent is reckoned through the mother and she holds the powers to property
hence making only the next females rightful enough to inherit it.

Marriage relations are transient. Children are brought up in their mother's homes.
A nuclear family consisted of the husband, wife or wives and children and is free
from the control of the elders. An extended family can be viewed as a merger of
several nuclear families.om the basis if in-group and out group affiliations a family
can be classified as endogamous or exogenous. On the basis of blood
relationships a family can be classified into conjugal or consanguineous families.
The functions of families have been stated by many but the most essential
functions are stable satisfaction of sex need, production and rearing of children
and provision of a home. The non-essential functions are economic, religious,
educational, health, recreational ad social. Family has a huge role in socialization.
In the historical period, the family was mainly patriarchal. The decline of this
system with time can be explained due to economic factors during the industrial
revolution and some cultural factors. The features of a modern family are
decreased control of the marriage contract, changes in the relationship of the
man and woman, laxity in sexual relationships, economic independence, smaller
family, decrease in religious control, separation of non-essential functions and filo
centric families. In this kind of family the children dominate the scene and their
wishes become the policy of the family. The striking problem that confronts the
modern family is its instability. The younger generation does not like any
interference from their elders. There is a lack of mutual trust between the
husband and wife. Decay of social values and less social protection leads to
divorce. A joint family on the other hand is larger, has a common residence,
rights, obligations and religion. It ensures economic progress, opportunity for
leisure, social insurance and virtues and socialization. But it also leads to
litigations, denial of privacy, quarrels and uncontrolled procreation. This system
disintegrated due to industrialization, extension of communication and transport,
impact of the West, decline of agriculture and village trades and new social
legislation.

An institution means an organization with some specific purpose. MacIver Has

defines institutions as established forms or conditions of procedure characteristic
of group activity. Institutions are means of controlling individuals and depends
upon the collective activities of men. It is more stable than other means of social
control. They satisfy the primary needs of men.

We can conclude that family in fact is an institution which resolves or eases a

large number of social problems.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1) FUNDAMENTALS OF SOCIOLOGY

- VIDYA BHUSHAN- D.R SACHDEVA