Table of Contents

Hindu joint family

Table of Contents

Theoretical overview

“A joint family is a group of people who generally live under one roof, who eat food cooked at one hearth, who hold property in common and who participate in common worship and are related to each other as some particular type of kindred.” -Karve

 “We call that household a joint family which has greater generation depth than individual family and the members of which are related to one another by property, income and mutual rights and obligations.” -L. P. Desai

“The joint family consists of persons having a common male ancestor, female offspring not yet married, and women brought into the group by marriage. All of these persons might live in a common household or in several households. near to one another. In any case, so long as the joint family holds together, its members are expected to contribute to the support of the whole and to receive from it a share of the total product.” –Davi

 “In a joint family not only parents and children, brothers step-brothers live on the common property, but it may sometime include ascendants and collaterals up to many generations.” –Jolly

 “The Hindu joint family is a group constituted of know ancestors and adopted sons and relatives related to these sons through marriage.” –Henry Maine

Characteristics of Joint Family

  1. Large size : The first characteristic of the joint family is its large size. A single family consists of only the husband, wife and their children But a joint family consists of parents. children, grand-children and other near relatives along with their women. It is a group of which several basic families live together at one and the same time.
  2.  Joint property: the joint family is its large size. A single family consists of only the husband, wife and their children But a joint family consists of parents. children, grand-children and other near relatives along with their women. The head of the family is like a trustee who manages the property of the family for the material and spiritual welfare of the family members. The total earnings of all the family members are pooled together.
  3. Common residence The members of joint family usually live under the same roof. They may also live in separate houses in close proximity to one another. They eat the same food and wear the same type of clothes.
  4. Common religion: Generally the members of a joint family belief in the same religion and worship similar rities. They perform jointly the religious rites and duties. They celebrate all the festivaals and social functions jointly. They also hold themselves jointly accountable for participating in social ceremonies like marriage, death and other occasions of family sorrows and rejoicing. They all share the family burden together.
  5. Productive unit: This feature of joint family is found among agricultural families. All the members work at one and the, same field. They do the sowing and harvesting of the crops together. Even in the case of artisan classes all the members of a joint family do one and the same function.
  6. Mutual rights and obligations: The rights and obligations of the members of joint family are the same. None except the head of the family has special privileges. 

Merits of Joint Family System

  1. Ensures economic progress: It enables economic progress of the country since every one in the family is guaranteed bare subsistence, a first condition of economic progress. Unless people are assured of food and shelter they would not devote themselves sincerely to the work of country’s progress. It is an essential condition of national progress that the citizens must at least get two meals a day. 
  2. Division of labour: It secures the advantages of the division of labour. Every member in the family is given work according to his abilities without being taxed unduly. Every phase of family’s life is managed by all members including women and children. Thus, during the harvest season every member of the family helps in harvesting the crops. No outside labour is required.
  3. Economy: It secures economy of expenditure. Since things are consumed in large quantities, they are secured at economic prices. Within small means a large family can be maintained if it lives jointly.
  4.  Opportunity for leisure: It provides opportunities for leisure to the members. The female members divide the household work and finish it within a little time, spending the rest of it in leisure.
  5. Social insurance: In the joint family the orphans find a comfortable asylum instead of being thrown out. Similarly, widows are assured of their proper living for whom remarriage in India is unthinkable. The joint family acts as a social insurance company for the old, sick and incapacitated. 

Points to remember

  • The Hindu joint family is a group constituted of know ancestors and adopted sons and relatives related to these sons through marriage.
  • A joint family is a group of people who generally live under one roof, who eat food cooked at one hearth, who hold property in common and who participate in common worship.
  • the joint family is its large size. A single family consists of only the husband, wife and their children But a joint family consists of parents. children, grand-children and other near relatives along with their women.
  • the joint family is its large size. A single family consists of only the husband, wife and their children But a joint family consists of parents. children, grand-children and other near relatives along with their women.

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