What are the most family orientated modern societies? (how much, school)

[Trimac20]

By modern I mean fairly modern, as most people live a 'non-traditional life' (i.e. village farming.etc.). Even if the country is mostly rural, city folk tend to also be very family orientated.

For instance remaining with/caring for parents into old age,
Living with extended family,
Having a strong sense of familial loyalty,
Keeping in close contact with siblings
Many family-owned businesses
A strong respect for family and ancestors


Very family orientated:

Vietnam
South Korea
India
Mexico
Italy
Greece
Iran
Tonga
Many African nations

Medium:

China
Malaysia
Brazil
Poland
Russia
Ireland
Spain
France

Low:

United States
Canada
Australia
United Kingdom
Germany
Japan


Tell me if I'm off-base here, lol

[Stumbler.]

Interesting that you put Japan in the category with the western countries as the low category.

I always had the impression all of your criteria matched the "image" of what westerners think of Japan.

"For instance remaining with/caring for parents into old age,
Living with extended family,
Having a strong sense of familial loyalty,
Keeping in close contact with siblings
Many family-owned businesses
A strong respect for family and ancestors"

[Trimac20]

Originally Posted by Stumbler.

Interesting that you put Japan in the category with the western countries as the low category.

I always had the impression all of your criteria matched the "image" of what westerners think of Japan.

"For instance remaining with/caring for parents into old age,
Living with extended family,
Having a strong sense of familial loyalty,
Keeping in close contact with siblings
Many family-owned businesses
A strong respect for family and ancestors"

Actually I'm not sure about Japan...in some ways their society is probably still structured around the tribal/Confucian ethic, and ancestral worship is a major part of their indigenous religions, but since their transition into a modern state it seems they are more individual, and the company is more the family. Husbands often spend little time at home.

I have a feeling rural China is still very family orientated because of village life. Kids know their uncles, aunties, grandparents. Urban China seems the opposite, from what I've observed.

[ialeixo]

I'd say Brazil, and probably South America in general are very family oriented......

[Stumbler.]

Originally Posted by Trimac20

Actually I'm not sure about Japan...in some ways their society is probably still structured around the tribal/Confucian ethic, and ancestral worship is a major part of their indigenous religions, but since their transition into a modern state it seems they are more individual, and the company is more the family. Husbands often spend little time at home.

I have a feeling rural China is still very family orientated because of village life. Kids know their uncles, aunties, grandparents. Urban China seems the opposite, from what I've observed.

A lot of countries big on so-called "family-values" have husbands that don't don't spend much time with their kids (unfortunately for those who value equality in child-rearing).

[Trimac20]

Originally Posted by Stumbler.

A lot of countries big on so-called "family-values" have husbands that don't don't spend much time with their kids (unfortunately for those who value equality in child-rearing).

This seems the case in patriachal, authoratative societies.

[Stumbler.]

Originally Posted by Trimac20

This seems the case in patriachal, authoratative societies.

I was reading something, probably an anthropology book, years back at my public library and there was an interesting mention about time spent with children by father versus mother, and they mention that mother spends more time across societies, as expected overall so it's rarely 50/50 but contribution/time (don't know how they measured it) varies from responsibility falling on the mother mostly 90/10 in somewhere like India (?) and more like 60/40 in (I can't remember which societies). I recall that Kenyans and Japanese, in that book were mentioned as having fathers who spent more time with child-rearing than the Indians but I can't remember by how much more.

Don't quote me on this...lol

[paull805]

Define family oriented? My girlfriend spends every spare moment she has with her child, but she works but so do most people. How can you say certain countries are more family oriented than others, I don't get it. Most families I know spend most nights after work/school together then the whole weekend, what is more family oriented than that?

[Mulhall]

Originally Posted by paull805

Define family oriented? My girlfriend spends every spare moment she has with her child, but she works but so do most people. How can you say certain countries are more family oriented than others, I don't get it. Most families I know spend most nights after work/school together then the whole weekend, what is more family oriented than that?

Good point and countries like China and India are increasingly becoming the same as manufacturing and industrialisation takes hold. Many Chinese people work extremely long hours in factories and see more of their work collegues than their family.

In the UK we are luck in the respect that the average worker gets around 28 days annual holiday entitlement, in the US the average is 12 days. Other EU counties such as France have even greater annual holiday entitlements for their workers than the UK.

[dunno what to put here]

How can you say any country is anything without making vast generalisations?

The UK isn't very family orientated though. At least, not the younger generation.