Decline of religious influence: Earlier marriage was thought as sacred, but now marriage is considered as more secularized (not sacred), religious laws are ignored. Marriage is thought as a man made affair or a social convention (custom/practice). The outlook of marriage also has changed emphasis is placed on comforts and high standard of living.
Idealized changes and cultural long: Attitude towards marriage and family are changing, due to rapid industrialization and urbanization, the structure of the family is modified. Women got economic independence and are working equally with man. Marriage is considered as purely material and natural but not spiritual. Marriage is considered as legal, children are considered as for giving personal happiness and not as primary goal of marriage. Wives claim for equal status and authority but earlier they were submissive to husbands. Children’s are considered as partners in the family council than under parental authority.
Industrialization: Industrialization brought imperishment to many and inadequate housing in slum areas. Industrial revolution substitutes the system of production process in place of home products.
Urbanization: The growth of city life provide artificial environment not suitable for domestic living. It created noisy tensions and pollutions in city life. It has taken away spacious rural environment to live, lack of privacy and pavcity of play space for children.
Growth of science: Advancement in science lead to use of contraceptives and small families. Political factors like increasing authority by state for protecting the child from neglect of parents and check ID and compulsory schooling for children. Science with its labour saving devices have changed the nature of home making more convenient to women.
Transfer of function: Home chores are transferred to outside agencies like home learning of children to public, private schools, home recreation to playgrounds and cinemas, religious and ministers of religion.
Social and political factors: Mobility of women, higher education of women make families favour small families. Political factors like increasing authority by state for protecting the child from the neglect of parents and check of ID and compulsory schooling for children change in legal status of women, due to their entry in politics, education and employment.
Changing functions:
Need for survival function: Changed from home production to consumption unit
Security function: It is weakened by neglect, rejection, breakdown of kingship family, inadequate protection in case of death of bread winner.
Endowment function: Economic hardship forces wives to work, causes quarrels and induces birth control.
Disciplinary function: It is decreasing due to over indulgence of children.
Vocational function: It is declining with the loss of vision of home as a centre of work, production and education.
Recreational function: Home parties are not entertained, commercialized amusements are entertained. Little yard space is available for children to play.
Character building function: It is handed over to schools and institutions.
Erotic function: Less time at home, preferring office job to mothering and staying with partner.
Harmonic function: Decline is indicated by increased rates of divorce, separation, desertion and growing quest for marriage counseling
No eugenic function: Families are not paying attention to improve the qualities of race by control of inherited traits.
