ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the necessary point of departure for developing a fuller understanding than has hitherto existed of declines in material family support for older people in Ghana, Africa or, for that matter, other societies. This is a careful examination and assessment of the merit of the two main perspectives that have so far been put forward to explain such support shifts: on the one hand, modernization and aging theory accounts and, on the other hand, material constraints arguments drawing on political economy perspectives. Modernization and aging theory focuses on the key role played by weakening traditional family obligation norms and an "abandonment" of older people by their families. At the broad level, modernization and aging, and material constraints explanations share key characteristics. Both are macro perspectives explaining social change in terms of broad societal processes and developments. Material constraints arguments highlight the reality of economic "development" as faced by most people in many developing countries.
