ABSTRACT
T h e relationship between the social services and the family is generally regarded as central to a l l the theoretical disputes about the rise of the "Welfare State"—and provides the theme for this chapter. Does the existence of such services i n industr ial societies weaken the sense of loyal ty a n d responsibility w h i c h many members of the family feel for each other ? A s the services grow do they supplement or complement the functions of the family , or do they replace them ? A r e they simply a m u c h more costly way of p rov id ing those services w h i c h o ld people need but w h i c h are normal ly performed by the family i n any society? F u l l answers to questions such as these wou ld assist the reformulation of major sociological theory about the changes that have taken place i n the family dur ing the process of industr ia l izat ion i n the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. T h e y wou ld also provide a strong theoretical basis for future social pol icy.
