Question

"joint family functions as an insurance company". Explain .

Answer 1

Family is one of the universal and permanent institutions of mankind. In every society and at every stage of development we found some sort of family. As a result we found different types of family all over the world. But in India we found a peculiar family system which deserve special attention. The family in India does not consist only of husband, wife and their children but also of uncles, aunts and cousins and grandsonsThis system is called joint family or extended family system. This joint family system is a peculiar characteristic of the Indian social life. Usually a son after marriage does not separate himself from the parents but continue to live under the same roof eating food cooked at one hearth participating in common worship and holding property in common and every person has share in it.

All the members of joint family keep their earnings in a common fund out of which family expenses are met. Accordingly Indian Joint family system is like a socialistic community in which every members earns according to his capacity and receives according to his needs. This joint family or extended family is organized on close blood relationships. It normally consists of members of three to four generations.

In other words joint family is a collection of more than one primary family on the basis of close blood ties and common residences. The entire members are bound by mutual obligations and have a common ancestor. It consist of an individual his wife and married sons their children and unmarried daughter, his brother and his parent.