Idea of Progress - Family Matters

The idea of progress basically consists in believing that the world can become better in terms of art, science technology, liberty and quality of life and has shaped most of Western civilisation’s vision of history. Progress implies changes, some evolution from an older with old traditions to a new order, which is not necessarily embraced by all, as it may shake up deep-rooted, highly respected conventions an beliefs. The recent evolutions of family structures in the USA and more generally in Western societies are indeed at the heart of a heated debate between those who approve of these changes and those who resist and criticise them in the name of tradition.

Family structures have evolved along the time. During the period from the Great Depression to the post World War II, several family generations used to live under the same roof and sometimes even with people who did not belong to their immediate family. In the fifties, economic growth and the reconstruction of the American economy impacted on the society and the reshaping of family structures. A new family model grows up just with one’s spouse and children living in the same house. While the Victorian period emphasized an “ideal of domesticity” witch is mainstream composed of a wife or a mother at home who bring up the off spring and make the housework, they had a bigger moral responsibilities and the father who is the bread winner and the family chief.

Then Women became emancipated and got better social and professional positions but it also had a negative impact on family life. The rates of divorce, single parenthood and working mothers climb. This decline of family values is linked to the lack of social policies to strengthen families, separations and economic reasons. Conservatives initiated a “pro family movement” to deal with sexual matters and organize awareness campaigns about abortion and contraceptive information. Now women have more rights than before and no longer depend on a male-bread winner, even through they still do most of the housework.

Family structure continues to evolve with blending family or stepfamily, with people who must be divorced and have children. They start new relations ship with someone who must have a family of his own from a previous relationship. Lot of time the persons are not really prepared to face that new situation. And the reality is often very different from hat seen in sitcoms. In real life, tensions and quarrels can become very serious and everyday is not a bed of roses.

To put it in a nutshell, family structures has evolved along the time, first which was composed of every members of the family then just with a women with is husband and there children this is the nuclear family. In the fifties women won much rights and family structure change with more divorce and single parenthood. Now in lots of couple people choose to stop the work to look after the sibling.

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