ABSTRACT
The historical emergence of the "modern nuclear family" represents, in the words of Lawrence Stone, "one of the most significant transformations that has ever taken place, not only in the most intimate aspects of human life, but also in the nature of social organization." The nuclear or conjugal family-kinship system toward which there is a worldwide trend first arose and became dominant in the Western world. Many dimensions of family change that are often associated with the fall of the modern nuclear family were first in evidence in the nineteenth century. Many dimensions of the modern nuclear family would remain relatively intact, for example, the absence of any economic-production function and the focus on marital affection and companionship. The doctrine of separate spheres, however, would be all but abandoned, patriarchy would be seriously challenged, the marriage bond would weaken, and child rearing would become a less dominant function.
