>Before commenting further on Paul C's [OPE-L:3261] re "labour-power
>shortages and Martians", I need some clarification:
>
>> Simultaneously, the birth rate declines as the patriarchal family is
>> replaced by the bourgeois one.
>
>(a) What is the "bourgeois family" and why do you place it in opposition
>to the patriarchal family?
>
Patriarchal family involves the use of the family members as a labour force
in agrciltural or handicraft production, with the product accruing to the
patriarch. The bourgeois family whilst retaining elements of patriarchal
relations particularly in food processing, is no longer a significant unit
of production in its own right, and as such the children are not parts
of the labour force.
>(b) After answering (a), please explain why we can expect birth rates to
>decline with the ascendency of the "bourgeois family".
>
No longer the need for a large labour force to maintain production in the
patriarchal oeconomos. Mutual funds replace filial piety.
>(c) you are focusing on changes in the birth rate: what about changes in
>the mortality rate, life expectancy, and average working life? For
>instance, haven't we seen a long-term increase in life expectancy
>alongside advances in medicine and health care?
Decline in mortality tends to preceed not suceed the decline in
birth rate. It is a prime cause for the current very high level of
the latent reserve, but this will be less important in the future.
Paul Cockshott
wpc@cs.strath.ac.uk
http://www.cs.strath.ac.uk/CS/Biog/wpc/index.html