Abstract
During the past few decades profound changes have taken place in European households and families. The role of the traditional family has become weaker and new living arrangements have gained importance. Consensual unions are now widely accepted; one-parent families now originate more in divorce than in widowhood; and solitary householders have become more common. The traditional family has also witnessed changes. The number of ‘others’ belonging to the family household (relatives, servants) has fallen, as has the number of children. Moreover, young adults have started to leave the parental home at an earlier age (except in the last few years). Average family size has thus dropped considerably. However, simulations indicate that household structures contain considerable inertia. Although a substantial increase in non-traditional living arrangements may be expected, marriage is not likely to lose its dominant position in many European countries before the turn of the century.
Résumé
Au cours des dernières décennies, de profonds changements ont affecté les ménages et les familles en Europe. Le rôle de la famille traditionnelle s'est affaibli, et de nouveaux styles de vie ont pris de l'importance. Aujourd'hui, les unions consensuelles sont largement acceptées, les familles monoparentales sont l'effet du divorce plus que du veuvage, et les ménages d'une personne sont devenus plus fréquents. Mais la famille traditionnelle a, elle aussi, changé. Au sein du ménage, le nombre des ‘autres personnes’ (apparentés, domestiques) a diminué, de même que le nombre des enfants. En outre, l'âge auquel les jeunes adultes quittent le foyer de leurs parents s'est abaissé (sauf ces toutes dernières années). Aussi la taille moyenne de la famille a-t-elle considérablement diminué. Les simulations présentées ici montrent cependant que les structures des ménages sont dotées d'une très grande inertie. Dans la plupart des pays européens, même si on peut s'attendre à une montée sensible des styles de vie non traditionnels, le mariage traditionnel ne semble pas devoir perdre sa position dominante avant le tournant du siècle.
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Keilman, N. Recent trends in family and household composition in europe. Eur J Population 3, 297–325 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01796903
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01796903