Family structures have existed in all societies as a way to form cooperative networks beyond immediate family. Marriage was often used to create political and strategic alliances between groups. Recent trends show changes in family structure, functions, and nature due to various social, economic, legal and cultural factors. Marriage rates have declined while cohabitation and divorce rates have increased. Women have gained more independence and equality within families.

2. Family structures of some kind are found in
every society. Pairing off into normal or
informal marital relationships originated in
hunter-gatherer groups to forge networks of
cooperation beyond the immediate family.
Intermarriage between groups, tribes, or clans
was often political or strategic and resulted in
reciprocal obligations between the two groups
represented by the marital partners.

3. • Most young people want to marry and
have children (Qu & Soriano, 2004;
Smart,2002). and although most
people still marry at some stage in
their lives, marriage rates have
declined since the “ Golden Era” of th
epost- World War II period. A
broader perspective, however reveals
taht the crude marriage rate has
fluctuated greatly over the years, with
the highest rates occuring in 1940-42
(when the prospect of military service
appears to have parked hasty
marriages), and directly after Worl
War II in 1946-48 (9.7 -10.6
marriages per 1,000 people in the
resident population) see Figure 1 on
page 77)

4. • The rate increased again in the
1960s due to continued
economic prosperity, the fall in
age at first marriage,
continuing strong social
disapproval of sexual
relationships outside marriage;
and the introduction of the oral
contraceptive pill. From the
1972 omnwards, the crude
marriage rate has fluctuated
between 5.4 and 5.5. The
trend over the most recend
decades has been
accompanied by increase in
age at marriage and increases
in rates of cohabitation.(i.e..,
de facto relationships

5. • Marriage is the basis of family. In traditional
family the marriage was settled by the parents.
The marriage ceremony was based on the
principle of male dominance and female
obedience. In modern family people is less subject
to the parental control regarding marital affairs,
the marriage is now settled by the partners
themselves. It is the choice of mate by mate usually
preceded by courtship or falling in love.

6. vToday more stress is being laid on romantic love
but love is no more sacramental now. Marriage
also has become a civil contract rather than a
religious sacrament. It can be dissolved easily at
any time as it is settled by mutual consent of the
partner. The authority of religion over the
conditions of marriage has markedly declined.
Divorce, desertion and separation are frequent
occurence in modern family where as it was rare
phenomenon in traditional family.

7. • While marriage trends play an essentila role
in shapig those relating to divorce,divorce
trends have also been heavily influenced by
the interaction of several other factors,
including women’s increased opportunities to
achive financila independence; improvements
in the “safety net” provided to financilay
vulnerable families w weakening of the
social stigma attached to divorce; and
klegislative reforms.

8. • In the first decade of the 2oth century, the
number of divorces recorded each year ranged
from 300 to 500. As figure 2 shows, the crude
divorce rate rose slightly in the 1920s to mid-
1940s, peaking at 1.1 divirces per 1, 000
resident population in 1947, partly reflecting the
instability of hasty wartime marriages and the
disruptive effects of the war on marriage
( Carmichael >& McDonald, 1987; Coughlan
1957).
• The rate then declined slightly until the 1960s ,
when it changed direction again. The rise
followed the ontroduction ofthe Matrimonial
Causes 1959, which came into the operation in
1961.
• Although many divorces occurs to couples with
children under 18 years old, the proportion of all
divorces that involve children isa declined since
the arly 1970’s -from 68% in 1971 to 61% in
1980,56% in 1990, 53% in 2000, and 48% in
2012. Since 2000, around 43, 000 to 54, 000
children under 18 years have experienced the
divorce of their parents each year.

9. • In modern family the woman is not the
devotee of man but an equal partner in
life with equal rights. The husband does
not dictate but only requests to wife to
do a task for him. She is now
emancipated of man’s slavery. She can
divorce her husband as the husband can
divorce her.

10. • Living together as an unmarried couple
• about 60% of couples who marry have
cohabitated
• Committment is the difference
- Marriage assumes permanence
- Cohabitation assumes remaining
together “ as long as things work out”.

11. Democratic ideas have provided equality and
liberty to even women too. As a result women are not
playing domestic role but also economic and political roles.
They have now become property owners and business
managers. They have right to vote and can actively
participate in politics.
They are now liberated from chains of traditionalism
and they are now able enough to move from kitchen to
cabinet. They stand on an equal footing with men.
Aggressive leaders of women’s liberation movement have
attacked the standard of morality. They are demanding
more rights and liberty in the family, society as well as in
the country.

12. •Due to the employment opportunity
the women has become an earning
member of the family, free to work
in offices, factories, banks and
schools etc. This economic
independence has increased her
sTatus but has affected her attitude
in the family as well as in society.

13. • Due to industrialization and urbanisation the
family size has been reduced and parents no
longer desire more children rather develop a
tendency to have a smaller family with the help of
modern contraceptives. So the reproductive
function of modern family has suffered a setback.
However the very survival of the human race is
based on reproduction.

14. • In the modern family the trend is
towards the filo centric family, where
the wishes of children determine the
policy of the family. The social control
activities of family over children have
been lessened as physical punishment is
rarely awarded to children.

15. • Inter-personal conflicts in the family are
increasing. An unusual amount of confict
between parents and their adolescent
children are taking place.
Kingsley Davis says, “ The stress and
strain in our culture is symptomatic of the
functionless instability of modern small
family.

16. • The modern family has given up many functions
which were performed by the traditional family.
Educational, procreation and care of sick
persons functions have been shifted to certain
external agencies like hospitals, maternity
homes, nurseries kindergarten and schools etc.
Apart from it the family is no longer an
economic unit. More families rely upon
prepared and manufactured goods for
consumption.

17. • Movies, clubs, gambling centres provide recreation to
people. People leave home for commercialized recreation
cetre, which has affected the cohesion of family.
Protective functions of family have also declined. Families
are no more the place of protection for physically
handicapped, mentally retarded, aged, diseased, infirm
and insane people. Other agencies have taken over this
function.
• Thus the family has been subjected to profound
modifications of an economic, social and bilogical nature.
The size and functions of the family have been reduced. It
has suffered a change in regard to both its structure and
functions. Its functions have been taken over by several
specilaized agencies.

18. Recent trend in the family: its structure
has changed, its function have been
altered and its nature has been
affected.
Various factors- social, economic,
educational, legal, cultural, scientific,
technological, etc. have been
responsible for this.