Household and Family in Theory on Inequality

Abstract

Households organized as families are essential units in theory on inequality because they redistribute the product of larger organizations: the consumption of resources by individuals is influenced by the power structures of their families. Households vary demographically as well as in social structure, and redistribute according to varying principles that typically contrast with those of production organizations. In pa; ticular the rules of exchange-economic vs. noneconomic-under which distribution takes place may differfrom those under which redistribution takes place. Many issues in inequality theory stem from the fact that economic and noneconomic rules of exchange are both present in the same social settings.