Sociology and Space, No. 19-20, 1968.
Original scientific paper
SOME OF THE CAUSES OF THE »ATOMIZATION« OF THE RURAL FAMILY
Vojislav Đurić
Abstract
The term »atomization of the family« is taken by the author to mean the
division of large »gentile« families (known in Yugoslavia as »family co-operatives«)
into several conjugal families (including two generations only) and a further
reduction of these families to one of the sub-forms of the »family nucleus« or
the »conjugal family«. The »gentile« rural family (called zadruga = co-operative)
— which formerly may have included up to a hundred members or more — was
the most usual type of family in the »traditional Yugoslav village«, while the
conjugal family (inokoština), being generally regarded as synomymous with
poverty, was much less widespread.
However, the advance of individualistic trends (one of the effects of rapid
industrialization) started the »atomization« of the co-operatives. This irreversible
process was initiated by women, the traditional »underminers of the co-operative«
(this female revolution was probably the result of the extremely unfavourable
position of the woman within the co-operative). However, when the traditional
co-operatives disappeared, the process of the »atomization« of the rural family
did not come to an end but only continued in a different form. Since the end
of the second world war the family in Yugoslavia's rural districts has been narrowing,
i. e. becoming free of relatives not belonging to the actual family nucleus,
and the number of children has decreased. The causes of this »atomization« can
be found in a new attitude as regards the number of children, in the peasant
woman’s emancipation from her husband, and in the early psychological and economic
emancipation of young people in rural districts from the family nucleus
and parental authority. One- ,two-, three-, and four-member families, i. e. conjugal
families, now account for 49.7 per cent of the total number of rural families in
Yugoslavia. In contrast to the views expressed recently by several foreign writers,
the »gentile« family in Yugoslavia’s rural districts is not expected to become
rehabilitated.In conclusion the author warns against the danger that in certain rural
districts of Yugoslavia families may become over-atomized which may lead to a
precarious lowering of the birth rate and even to depopulation which would
certainly be a highly undesirable development.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
121358
URI
Publication date:
9.1.1968.
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