Sociology Family Size Question

“Examine the reasons for changes in birth rates and family size since 1900”

Since the 1900’s, birth rates have decreased from 115 per 1000 per year, to 54.5 per 100 per year in 2001. Family sizes have also been said to have decreased due to industrialisation and the increasing popularity of Geographical Mobility, but due to recent increases in immigration, extended families have had somewhat of a reoccurrence in recent decades.

Parsons is an example of a sociologist who would hold the belief that industrialisation is the main cause for the decrease in birth rates, and thus family size. Parsons found the lifestyle of those living in the pre-industrial era (which would be mostly extended families that all work together to earn money for the family) very much ideal for its era. This way of life was then replaced in the late 18^th century, however, by the industrial era. This era had different needs from pre-industrial society, and the family types had to change and adapt to meet these needs. According to Parsons, there are two essential needs for society to be able to cope in the industrial stage. The first of these needs is that a geographically mobile workforce is required. This is the action of moving to where work is, as oppose to staying in the same village/town/city, which would be the norm during the pre-industrial style of life. The second of the two needs is that a socially mobile workforce is required. This is the belief that in modern society, an individual’s status is achieved by their own efforts and ability, and is not ascribed. However, the nuclear family that is connected with industrialisation so much is actually decreasing, and other forms of family have been becoming more popular, such as the beanpole family, the single parent family, and singletons. The increase in these sorts of families, particularly single parent families , have been argued by sociologist Renvoize to be due to women being able to provide for their children without the assistance of a man.

The rise in feminism had a large impact on the decrease in birth rates and family size, for example, women are able to have financial independence, so they do not require a husband to help them through life. This has led to an increase in women prioritising their careers, and having children later in life. This alone changes the family structure immensely, for as women are having children later, it is likely that they will have fewer children than they would have had if they decided to focus less on having a career, lowering the fertility rate. A reason why women might decide to have children later or not even have children at all is due to the belief that nowadays, children are more economic liabilities than helpful.

This belief is linked towards more financial/scientific reasons for why there has been a decrease in birth rates and family sizes since 1900. Health care since 1900 has improved so much that the infant mortality rate has lowered greatly, because children that get diseases in modern society can be cured of a lot of them, unlike in the 1900’s. If a child died in the early 20^th century, then it would be common to replace the deceased child with a new child, which may also be at risk of suffering the same fate.  However, due to the decrease in deaths of infants, people are becoming content with having fewer children. The government have also had an impact on health care in Britain, with acts like the smoking ban and the clean air act put into place. Another reason that there is a decline in birth rates is due to the advances in medical knowledge. Contraception and safe abortion are now easier to obtain by a great extent in comparison to in the early 1900s. There is also a lot less stigma attached to women having an abortion if they so wish.  The stigma attached to lesbian and gay couples has decreased also, so people are no longer having to hide their sexuality by being in a relationship with someone of the opposite gender. This decreases the birth rates, because gay people actually went as far as having children to avoid any suspicion of being homosexual.

To conclude, the decrease in birth rates could be argued to be mainly due to a rise in feminism, due to the changing attitudes of women in modern society, as oppose to in 1900 when women didn’t have nearly as much influence or position in society, specifically governments. The decrease in family size could be argued to be mainly due to the change from pre-industrialisation to industrialisation, and the overall increase in geographical mobility. These are the main reasons that have been argued, because they have all had a huge impact on how society works in modern times.