Modernization of Family in Russia and China: the Role of the Government

Abstract

The individualization of social relations is the main trend in modern society. People do not depend on family and help of its members anymore. They rely on themselves, their individual capabilities and successes. Family modernization is determined by a socio-historical and political-ideological context of a country. It is expressed in a degree to which the family loses its economic functions. The global trend of family nuclearization and fertility decline is manifested differently in Russia and China due to the degree of urbanization, the economic activity of women and the population’s commitment to traditional family values. In order to preserve the birth rate, China began to pursue a neo-familism policy which based on the values of Confucianism. Russia does not have the opportunity to go the same way, because urbanization and modernization of society, started in this country much earlier than in China. The task of stabilizing the population of Russia can be solved only by further modernizing of family relations. It should lead to the creation of an egalitarian (partner) model of the family. At the same time, this does not deprive the Russian state of the opportunity to use the family as a buffer, mitigating for the population the cruelty of the realities of the market economy.

Keywords

• demographic transition
• “working mother” gender contract
• family policy
• family values
• neo-familism
• confucianism
• urbanization