SERICUL TURE AND THE PROCESS OF CHANGE - Institute for ...

tend to act with restraint. This is much more true when their traditional
subordinates acquire a greater economic and political authority.
Does this situation really become a threat to the cohesive
existence of the family system? There are instances of better
cohesiveness as well as of loosening of the family solidarity. The major
factors in the type of impact have been related to the level of success in
the enterprise and the type of family. For instance, a successful
operation of sericulture generates higher income, betters the standard of
living and increases the socio-economic status. This, in turn, acts as an
effective force in countering the negative fall out of the changes in the
authority relations as mentioned earlier. Further, it also contributes to a
better cohesiveness within the family.
Moreover, sericulture also being a labour-intensive enterprise, it
becomes inevitable for all the family members, especially in a nuclear
family situation., to contribute their labour, at whichever level they are
able. This also acts in the given situation as another factor that plays a
positive role in keeping the members of the family together with greater
solidarity. The participation of all the family members in the activity is
more likely in matro families and in simple as well as complex nuclear
families. In addition, when due recognition is given to each one's
productive contribution and when the enterprise itself is carried out
successfully, the cohesion and solidarity of such families turn out to be
stronger.
There is however, a possibility of differential levels of
participation in the extended families. A total devotion and commitment
would be hard to come in such situations. As a result, sericulture itself
163