ABSTRACT
The duty to support one’s offspring during their minority follows from biological and social imperatives. Except for largely philosophical discourses, such as Plato’s, and some limited experimentation (such as in the group rearing of the Nazi state), it is universally held today, at least as a first principle. This said, the chapter will note some divergence on how far the duty (and reciprocal right) extend, how large a role the state plays in accepting some part of the parental duty, and how much duty adult children owe in return to their parents. The duties are not coextensive with those due upon the death of the parent (inheritance law), when children need not be treated equally and a surviving spouse may inherit a greater portion.
