Before factories and cities grew, most families lived and worked together on farms or in small workshops. When the Industrial Revolution began in the 18th century, it completely transformed how families were organised and how they functioned in society.
Key Definitions:
Before industrialisation, families typically lived as extended family units in rural settings. Multiple generations lived together, with family members working collectively on farms or in home-based production. Children were economic assets who contributed to family work from a young age. The family was a unit of production where goods were made and consumed.
Industrialisation led to the rise of the nuclear family as people moved to cities for factory work. Family members began working separately outside the home. The family became primarily a unit of consumption rather than production. Children's economic role diminished as child labour laws were introduced and education became compulsory.
Functionalist sociologists like Talcott Parsons argued that the shift from extended to nuclear families was a functional adaptation to industrialisation. According to Parsons, the nuclear family was better suited to the needs of industrial society.
Parsons identified two key functions that the nuclear family performs in industrial society:
He argued that the nuclear family was 'functionally fit' for industrial society because it was small and mobile, allowing workers to relocate for jobs.
Urbanisation accompanied industrialisation as people moved from rural areas to cities for factory work. This geographic shift had profound effects on family structures and relationships.
Urban housing was smaller and more expensive, making it difficult to accommodate extended families. Terraced houses and later flats were designed for nuclear families, reinforcing the shift in family structure.
Geographic mobility weakened extended family ties as families moved away from relatives. Community oversight decreased in anonymous urban settings, giving families more privacy but less support.
Women's work increasingly separated from home, especially in later phases of industrialisation. This eventually led to changing gender roles and increased female independence.
Not all sociologists agree with the functionalist view that family change was a smooth, functional adaptation. Marxist and feminist sociologists offer alternative interpretations.
Marxists like Friedrich Engels argued that the nuclear family served capitalism by:
Feminists highlight how industrialisation initially reinforced gender inequality:
The impact of industrialisation and urbanisation on families wasn't uniform across all regions or social classes.
Working-Class Families: In early industrial Britain, entire working-class families often worked in factories. Extended family networks remained important for survival, with relatives helping with childcare and supporting each other during hardship. Women's paid work was common out of economic necessity.
Middle-Class Families: The middle class more quickly adopted the 'male breadwinner' model with clear gender roles. Women were expected to manage the home and children while men worked outside. The nuclear family ideal was most strongly expressed in this class.
Today's family structures continue to evolve from the foundations laid during industrialisation. We now see increasing diversity in family forms.
While nuclear families became dominant, many families maintain strong extended family connections despite living separately - what sociologists call 'modified extended families' with regular contact and support.
Post-industrial society has seen the rise of lone-parent families, reconstituted families, same-sex families and people living alone - reflecting greater individual choice and changing social attitudes.
Different societies industrialised at different times and in different ways. In many newly industrialising countries, extended family structures remain important even as nuclear families become more common.
The digital revolution represents a new phase in how industrialisation affects families. Technology allows family members to maintain connections despite geographic separation.
Research shows that modern families often maintain 'virtual extended families' through:
This suggests that while industrialisation initially weakened extended family ties, technology may be helping to strengthen them in new ways.
When assessing how industrialisation and urbanisation changed family life, it's important to avoid simplistic conclusions.
Industrialisation and urbanisation fundamentally transformed family structures and relationships, driving the shift from extended to nuclear families. However, this change wasn't universal or complete. Many families adapted by creating modified extended family networks and different societies experienced these changes in different ways and at different times.
Today's diverse family forms reflect both the legacy of industrialisation and new social and economic changes. Understanding this history helps us see that families have always adapted to changing circumstances - and continue to do so today.
Log in to track your progress and mark lessons as complete!
Login NowDon't have an account? Sign up here.