Family
This is an institution that has been created through an agreement in marriage. It has been accorded the right to privacy by the law. Privacy enables the family members and heads to make the right and best decisions for the sake of the whole unit (Dolan, 180). Family-related decisions guide the members on how they should carry out themselves and ensure good values are kept. The values majorly help in the continuity of the family line.
Some people pursue happiness by starting up families. For instance, American people are always thrilled by the settings in the family. Everyone in America is always looking forward to the great union (Charline, 235). There are two types of family lives. One is public the other is private. Families originate from marriages; hence a marriage too can be private or public according to the consent of the participants.
The Public Good
In this view, the family consists of members who are both internal and external. Two members of the family could or could not be related but are responsible for the entire group or dependants. Elderly people in society are not part of the family setting. Provision to these elderly people by nonrelatives is through the public good. This means that they get to share the resources of which they were not involved in creating or making. Public goods would include good citizens, workers, care for elderly people, and also the chronically ill (Charline, 235). This situation creates a notion of a free ride. This is to means that a section of individuals or groups produces goods or products that are consumed by others.
Private Good
This involves two individuals who are connected in an intimate way with or without a child. In this family setting, the child is to live and be provided for until he/she reaches sixteen years of age. The marriage may also last indefinitely (Charline, 236). Private good does not require that the individuals be of the same sex. Moreover, the partnership is not for eternity but for a period of the stipulated time. More concern about the whereabouts of members is not stressed up in this type of setting. Therefore, it involves a little bit of freedom for the members of the family.
Social Institutions
Marriage is essential in every family. People get into the lifelong covenant of marriage for spiritual protection, joy, security, and meaning that marriage brings to the people involved. A man and a woman are united through marriage. The agreement made during the marriage is for companionship for eternity. Conflicts in marriages should not arise at all to cause distraction but they should promote growth. Many have assumed that the only way to control conflicts is through a divorce but this is wrong (Charline, 235). The only time divorce should be acceptable is when the life of one partner or both is in danger. Another area of concern for divorce is when a child’s life or children’s lives are in danger. Otherwise, marriage should be a highly respected institution that is to last forever.
Sexuality
Procreation occurs mostly in family settings where people have agreed to sire children or just a single child. Other than procreation, a man and a woman are to benefit from marriage through the satisfaction of their needs. The needs could be physical, emotional, social, and economical (Arlene, 105). Kids are a product of love between the parents. Once sired, they have a right to life. Unfortunately, some marriages could be having complications. In such cases, a mother could be required not to have kids due to medical reasons. Furthermore, if in any case the mother conceives and is unable to deliver, she can be recommended to have an abortion.
Government Stake in Family
According to the policies by the government, it is wrong to abort a child. One can only perform abortions under medical recommendations. It is murder and can lead to imprisonment. Every human being has a right to life. In addition, the government has implemented population control techniques that are affected by family. For instance, the case of china was astounding (Hoobler, 230-232). Having a billion people to manage could be challenging with limited resources. In such cases, it calls for the government to intervene and put rightful measures that can help alleviate disastrous events. A natural family includes the social setting in which one feels a sense of belonging. The government should protect this right to belong hence discourage destitution.
The government has a stake to play in every setting of a country. Policy making involves rules that govern issues. The government happens to be the main stake holder in this. The family setting on the other hand differs from area to area according to the policies set.
For instance in America, families are not restricted to choices. Most families are monogamous and small. On the other hand, other nations cultural norms states that partner’s choice is made by parents. Many families in these nations are polygamous hence very different from most developed countries. Children who grow up with behavioral issues have been assumed to come from single parents. Most ladies and women in America work in high office places. This situation has led to an increase in child bearing mothers in extramarital affairs, divorce issues and cohabitation.
The government in one way or another affects the outcome of family settings. When issues of divorce and cohabitation arise the government has to come in to rectify the situation. Having social workers take care of the children who do not have access to basic needs could be affecting the child’s relationship with the parents. The issue of single parenthood arose from the systems set back in the days that children who have two parents cannot be assisted.
This led to splits in families that were detrimental as the single parents number rose up. On reversing the policy, many women seem to be working hence no parent seems to have contact with their kids. This is the reason for the social problems in the society especially in the developed countries.
Policies to have gay marriages have also had a lot of impact on the society and family as a unit. Having people have access to their rights has changed the true meaning of marriage and family. The essence of procreation has been totally eroded.
Though technology tries to reverse everything that existed, some stuff still proves to be impossible. For instance, for gay people, the issue of procreation is not the order of the day. In the so called post modern world, government policies and peoples believe have changed the course of life. It therefore calls for creation of policies that would encourage preservation of cultural believes and norms. Without real change, the world could be taking a different dimension of how to view life. This would have effects in many parts of a human being’s life. This is because a human being is a social being.
Works Cited
Arlene, Skolinc. Transition in Family. New York McGraw-Hill, 2005. Print.
Charline, Andrew. Introduction: Public and private Families. 6th ed. 2010. New York: McGraw-Hill, Print.
Dolan, Edward. Government Involvement in Family Matters. New York: Cobblehill Books, 1995. Print.
Hoobler, Dorothy. Right to Privacy. New York: Franklin Watts, 1986. Print.