Family Economics And Consumer Education 3 (2+1)

Lesson 01 : Meaning and Scope of Family Finance Management

Definition and meaning of Family

Meaning:

The word “Family” has been taken over from the Roman word, “famulus” , meaning a “Servant” In Roman law the word denoted the group of producers and slaves and other servants as well as a members connected by common descent or marriage.

Definitions:

Family is “a group of persons united by the ties of marriage, blood or adoption; constituting a single household, interacting and inter-communicating with each other in their respective social roles of husband and wife, mother and father, son and daughter, brother and sister creating a common culture. (Burgess and locke, The family pg.81).

Family is “a miniature Social organization, including at least two generations, and is characteristically formed upon the blood bond” (summer and keller).

Family is a group defined by a sex relationship sufficiently precise and enduring to provide for the procreation and upbringing of children (Maclver R.M, Society);

Types of family: Families may be classified variously:

1. On the basis of residence
2. On the basis of structure
3. On the basis of authority
4. On the basis of ancestry
5. On the basis of marriage
6. On the basis in group or out group affiliation
7. On the basis of blood relationships.

1. On the basis of residence the family may classified as

1. Matrilocal Family: In this type of family the husband goes to live in the house of his wife.
2. Patrilocal family: In this kind of family, the wife goes and lives in the house of her husband.
3. On the basis of structure the family has been classified into
1. Nuclear family: A nuclear family is an autonomous unit free from the control of elders. It is family, which consists of the husband, wife or wives and their children.
2. An Extended family: Generally extended family is a merger of several nuclear families. A small extended family may include an old man and his wife, their son, the son’s wife and the son’s children.
3. Descent is reckoned through the father. The children are known by the name of the family of their father.
4. The children can inherit the property of their father only.
4. On the basis of ancestry:

The family is classified into

1. Matrilineal: In this type of family mother is the basis of ancestry. The rights of each member of the family depend on his relation to the mother
2. In the patrilineal family ancestry continues through the father. This is the common type of family prevalent today.
5. On the basis of Marriage:

The family classified into

1. Monogamous Family: In which one man marries one woman only at once time.
2. Polygamous family: In this type man marries many women at one time.
6. On the basis of authority: The family may be patriarchal or Matriarchal.
1. The Patriarchal Family: This type of family has become world famous. Under this type of family, the male head of the family is possessed of inclusive powers. That means, the family father or the elder male descendant is the protector and the ruler of the family enjoying full authority over the family members.
2. The Matriarchal family: In this type of family the authority vests in the woman head of the family with males being subordinate. She is the owner of the property and rules over the family.
1. On the basis of in group and out group affiliation:
2. Endogamous Family: it is one which sanctions marriage only among members of the group.
7. Blood relationships basis: under this the family may be

1. Conjugal Family: It consists of spouses, their off spring and relatives through marriage.
2. consanguineous Family: Consists of blood relatives together with their mates and children.