Family Size
1870s – 6 children, 2008 – 1.6 children,
Greater before in case some die, able to send out to work, no contraception/abortion
Reasons for decreasing birth rates:
Pill 1960s -fewer accidental pregnancies
1967 - legalised abortion
Better healthcare - NHS, survive birth/infancy, grow up
Infant mortality rate declining
Living costs increasing - can’t afford more children, society now “child centred”
Having children later - careers, saving money
Impact of feminism - prioritise careers, no stigma if do not have children
Greater before in case some die, able to send out to work, no contraception/abortion
Reasons for decreasing birth rates:
Pill 1960s -fewer accidental pregnancies
1967 - legalised abortion
Better healthcare - NHS, survive birth/infancy, grow up
Infant mortality rate declining
Living costs increasing - can’t afford more children, society now “child centred”
Having children later - careers, saving money
Impact of feminism - prioritise careers, no stigma if do not have children
Life Expectancy
1851 – male = 40 female = 44
Nowadays – male = 75 female = 80
Not uniform:
Scotland 2.5 times lower than England
Middle classes longer than working classes
Ethnic minorities lower than white people
Impacts of society:
Financial - money from gov to fund pensions/healthcare
Strain on resources eg healthcare, housing, jobs
Effects on family diversity - 2005 – 14%, retired singletons
Factors affecting:
Living area,
Gender
Social class
Ethnicity
Better medical care/knowledge, food storage, diet, exercise
Welfare State
Laws to protect people
Unlikely to die in war
Nowadays – male = 75 female = 80
Not uniform:
Scotland 2.5 times lower than England
Middle classes longer than working classes
Ethnic minorities lower than white people
Impacts of society:
Financial - money from gov to fund pensions/healthcare
Strain on resources eg healthcare, housing, jobs
Effects on family diversity - 2005 – 14%, retired singletons
Factors affecting:
Living area,
Gender
Social class
Ethnicity
Better medical care/knowledge, food storage, diet, exercise
Welfare State
Laws to protect people
Unlikely to die in war
Childbirth
1970s – mid-twenties first child
Nowadays – 30, 1/3 choose not to have any children
Hachim:
Many choose to live a child free live
Increasing no. born into unmarried couples 2004 – 42%:
Increased social acceptance, declining stigma
Increase in co-habitation, marriage expensive
Secularisation
Nowadays – 30, 1/3 choose not to have any children
Hachim:
Many choose to live a child free live
Increasing no. born into unmarried couples 2004 – 42%:
Increased social acceptance, declining stigma
Increase in co-habitation, marriage expensive
Secularisation
Immigration
UK Census – 2001, 92% white, 2011, 86% white
Timeline:
1500-1700 - France + Holland, religious persecution
1850 - Ireland, potato famine
1945 - Germany + Poland, persecuted groups
1950s - Caribbean + Asia, workers needed after WW2 damage
2000s - Eastern Europe, better lifestyle
Timeline:
1500-1700 - France + Holland, religious persecution
1850 - Ireland, potato famine
1945 - Germany + Poland, persecuted groups
1950s - Caribbean + Asia, workers needed after WW2 damage
2000s - Eastern Europe, better lifestyle
Marriage
Trends declining:
1972 – highest, post war baby boom offspring
Falling random peak in 2004
Lowest ever 2005
1994 - 11.4
2004 - 10.3
Stratification differences:
¾ Pakistani + Bangladeshi under 25 (Berthoud)
Blacks least likely (Berthoud)
Higher educational qualifications more likely to
Reasons for decline:
Impact of feminism, no longer marry for financial stability, have own careers
Scare of divorce
Secularisation
Changing attitudes
Marriage expensive – average = £20k
Sue Sharpe:
“Just like a girl” – 70s focused love/babies, 90s focused careers
Smith (2001):
Post modernist era, live in world of sexual freedom, people don’t want to marry
Evaluation:
Actually delaying not rejecting
People still remarry - 2 in 5 marriages are remarriages, people still committed to marriage
Still most common family set up, 2005, 75% families
British Social Attitudes Survey:
Many still see as life goal and want children from the marriage
1972 – highest, post war baby boom offspring
Falling random peak in 2004
Lowest ever 2005
1994 - 11.4
2004 - 10.3
Stratification differences:
¾ Pakistani + Bangladeshi under 25 (Berthoud)
Blacks least likely (Berthoud)
Higher educational qualifications more likely to
Reasons for decline:
Impact of feminism, no longer marry for financial stability, have own careers
Scare of divorce
Secularisation
Changing attitudes
Marriage expensive – average = £20k
Sue Sharpe:
“Just like a girl” – 70s focused love/babies, 90s focused careers
Smith (2001):
Post modernist era, live in world of sexual freedom, people don’t want to marry
Evaluation:
Actually delaying not rejecting
People still remarry - 2 in 5 marriages are remarriages, people still committed to marriage
Still most common family set up, 2005, 75% families
British Social Attitudes Survey:
Many still see as life goal and want children from the marriage
Divorce
Rates:
Higher than other European countries
1938 - 6,000
1970 - 60,000
1993 - 180,000
2000 - 154,600
2001-2004 gradual rise, if this continues 40% of marriages will end in divorce
Reasons for increase:
Changing laws - now easier/cheaper, reflecting change in social attitudes
Functionalism - marriage valued, people want better standards of partnersChanging social attitudes, less stigma
Outcome of tensions over women taking over “Breadwinner” role
Improved education/career opportunities, women have own money
Thomas and Collard (1979):
Women value friendship/emotional gratification
Hart (1976):
Women frustrated with “triple shift”, divorce reaction
Beck and Beck-Gernsheim (1995):
Post-modernist world, traditions no longer apply
Evaluation of reasons:
Still not that cheap/easy, New Right against law changes
Men also file, women may not be living up to expectations
Liberal Feminist - “new man”, more involved in housework and childcare
Still gender gap in pay, New Right believe men should be “instrumental leader”
Marriage still life goal (BSA)
Different religions and cultures still have traditions/rules
Asian cultures still have stigma
Not all ethnic group women work
Reforms:
1969 - allowed irretrievable breakdown, after 2 years
1984 - allowed after 1 year
1996 - increased to 18 months, compulsory marriage counselling
Social policy which affects rates:
Tax breaks for married couples
Government New Build Scheme
Civil Partnership Act (2004)
2013 - no public funding or Legal Aid for divorce
Higher than other European countries
1938 - 6,000
1970 - 60,000
1993 - 180,000
2000 - 154,600
2001-2004 gradual rise, if this continues 40% of marriages will end in divorce
Reasons for increase:
Changing laws - now easier/cheaper, reflecting change in social attitudes
Functionalism - marriage valued, people want better standards of partnersChanging social attitudes, less stigma
Outcome of tensions over women taking over “Breadwinner” role
Improved education/career opportunities, women have own money
Thomas and Collard (1979):
Women value friendship/emotional gratification
Hart (1976):
Women frustrated with “triple shift”, divorce reaction
Beck and Beck-Gernsheim (1995):
Post-modernist world, traditions no longer apply
Evaluation of reasons:
Still not that cheap/easy, New Right against law changes
Men also file, women may not be living up to expectations
Liberal Feminist - “new man”, more involved in housework and childcare
Still gender gap in pay, New Right believe men should be “instrumental leader”
Marriage still life goal (BSA)
Different religions and cultures still have traditions/rules
Asian cultures still have stigma
Not all ethnic group women work
Reforms:
1969 - allowed irretrievable breakdown, after 2 years
1984 - allowed after 1 year
1996 - increased to 18 months, compulsory marriage counselling
Social policy which affects rates:
Tax breaks for married couples
Government New Build Scheme
Civil Partnership Act (2004)
2013 - no public funding or Legal Aid for divorce