Influence Of Joint Family System On Socio-Economic Development Of Pakistan
The development of any country depends on the role of individuals living in the society. If the individuals play their role actively and positively then their will be growth and if there will be growth their will be equal and proper division of resources within the individuals of society. This ultimately gives a peaceful environment. But the question arises how these individuals behave in a responsible way that it turns the nations luck? For this it is important to understand that from where these individuals come from? What was the environment and atmosphere of the place where they groomed up? What they learn in the beginning of their minds development through their environment?
In case of Pakistan, it is an urgent requirement to study and understand the origin and upraising systems of individuals as Pakistan is facing lot of problems, crisis and unpleasant situations from last six decades. Pakistan’s society have drawbacks at all levels hence it is important to catch the roots of such problems. Fortunately now Pakistan has independent media and judiciary which both play a vital role in improving the upper social and political setup of Pakistan. But there is also a need to understand the problems at bottom line social groups which mostly includes middle and lower income class families. The behaviors and attitude of these two classes also underpin and create lot of hindrances in the developmental process of Pakistan. There is a lack of tolerance, lack of compromising attitude, lack of responsible nature, lack of impartial behaviors in the individuals of these classes. This type of behaviors and attitude of individuals generate and developed in their early grooming stages through their families.
In Pakistan mostly there is a joint family system in which there are grand parents, uncles, aunties and lot of cousins. Although this family system is undergoing a radical change with a greater influence of media and education but people of Pakistan do not feel this change a good one. Because while living in a joint family system a lot of emotional attachments enhanced and they feel that by separating in neutral family system their relations will damaged and family ties will be weakened. Lot of research work has been done in this regard in Pakistan. Researchers highlighted various issues at household level which create disturbance and unrest in the society. Joint family system is basically a form of organization. In this organization there are defined norms and values to follow strictly by all the members. All the members have their defined tasks and responsibilities to perform. There is equal share of each and every member of the family in the available resources in the form of money, food and other requirements. If all the requirements and regulation of this organization fulfill impartially then it is the most successful system but unfortunately this not happens. Definitely it is impossible for any human being to stuck with defined strict norms and values even in his/her own home where he/she wants to take rest and live freely according to his own will after completion of his/her office duties which are in current era are as much tough and busy.
This living style of joint families effects badly the socio-economic development of Pakistan by increasing poverty in various ways. In a joint family systems now lot of crisis emerge on the issues like distribution of household tasks, allocation of financial responsibilities among different members, division of resources in the form of food and money. There are various reasons of each emerging issue in joint family system. Firstly; members of joint families have no income security. As if a person has surety that whatever he earned it is his own then he could become ready to invest and entrepreneurs for the economy of the country through proper savings. Economically and financially independent individuals could work more confidently for the development of the country which not only could minimize poverty but also gloom up the economy of the country. On the other hand while living in a joint family system an individual could not save regularly from his earnings and hence could not confidently participate in the investment process of the country. Because he know that whatever he earned it will be added in the joint fund of whole family for family expenditures from where those members of family also benefit who are able to earn for them but become lazy due to such financial support from family. Huge amount of our youth become irresponsible and lazy and also adopt extravagance activities only due to this joint family system. As they do not have to face difficulties of managing home financially and they do not have any heavy responsibilities on their shoulders so they do not become responsible in all walks of life.
Secondly improper division of financial responsibilities arises lots of financial issues in joint family system. They mostly emerge because at some times newly married couple does not want to share their earnings in the whole family expenditures, they want to spend their income independently. On the other hand they are part of a joint family system they eat from the earnings of other and do not share their own. In most of the homes the most elder guardian of the family ( may be a grand father or most elder brother) is responsible for all sorts of expenditures of the home which includes all sorts of bills, monthly fuel consumption expenditures and monthly food consumption items in addition also responsible for educational expenditures of various children in the home. In this way a burden crossed the limits on one individual of the home. Therefore after retirement or expiry of such a huge supporting guardian then whole family split in neutral families as a result of lot of disputes. That’s why now various families prefer to settle in neutral families before such a bad end.
Thirdly; division of household tasks or we can say division of labour within home also increasing disputes and argues and they mostly emerge between women of the family. Because most of domestic tasks performed by females of the family. In eastern families mostly daughters in a law (wives of sons) are responsible for all work. Sometimes disputes occur between these daughters in law on the division of household tasks that is cleaning, washing, cooking, and dealing with children, husbands and parents in law. Most of the families in Pakistan and India do not like to involve their unmarried daughters in household tasks and therefore these girls also become burden on daughters in law of that family. In addition such girls become lazy and irresponsible and when these girls become married themselves they become unable to tackle with various responsibilities immediately after marriage. Also daughters in law feel this very injustice and partial behaviors of the in laws and then it creates psychological dissatisfaction in the daughters in law which ultimately affects badly her children and husband. At various time married girls stir up to demand for separate home to live happy and independent with her children and husband and her this demand impacts the whole family badly and the crack occur due to such. Therefore now various families prefer to leave newly married couples independent before occurrences of such dispute in the family. And it looks more effective and good to minimize family conflicts and dispute and to make everyone responsible.
Joint family system also creates problems in children rearing. As among various loving relations mostly it becomes impossible for parents to prohibit their children from various bad habits, improper attitude and wrong behaviors. Loving relations like uncles, aunties and grand parents do not like to prevent children strictly. They do not like to chide or rebuke their young grand children and hence they bring up in a wrong support of their loving relations which impacts their whole life badly and therefore they do the same wrong deeds in their mature life and hinder their own career and give loss to the country’s economy also. When little boys and girls groomed up in such an environment where there are people who support them for wrong deeds then become irresponsible individuals of the country who contribute to prevent developmental process. As these boys and girls also supported financially even after they completed their education careers and often at sometimes after they get married so they do not bother to work hard to overcome all their needs themselves also they can not decide well for their future life they are not mentally independent to put forward any step they are strictly dependent and are not able to decide according to the time. In this family system young boys and girls become too much emotionally attached with their families and they become unable to live without their parents and family away from home to work more in the current era of competitiveness. They mostly prefer to do jobs at low salary packages and less competitive environment in their own villages and areas to remain attached with the family. In this way there is a lack of passion for higher education and seeking advanced skills as they mostly available at big cities or abroad.
Most of population of Pakistan prefers joint family system just because of their parents. This is because of Islamic teachings about serving parents in their old age with full responsibility and love. In case of nuclear family system the problem occurs for adjustments of old aged parents. In west this problem solved by making old houses but Pakistan cannot adopt this policy as it is against its religious teaching. Hence old aged parent’s rights should preserve within Islamic boundaries. Various joint families though that if they split in neutral families then any one of us have to take full responsibility of parents which at sometimes any
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