The family, reproducer of economic inequalities

We've all heard the stories of inheritance. Whether it went smoothly or was a tug-of-war, a huge part of a family's continuation is through the legacies of the elders before them. Sociology has long been concerned with the question of inequalities in socio-economic backgrounds through, among other things, culture. Bourdieu showed, for example, that the less well-off did not have equal access to books, the arts, knowledge and so on. On the other hand, this is just as verifiable in monetary terms alone.

Wealthy clans not only share larger inheritances, but also make many more informal donations over the course of a lifetime. What's more, states that have often divested themselves of public policies rely on this family generosity. However, this generosity only applies to a handful of families at most. What's more, the poor are generally penalized by certain gifts, or simply by the fact of living together.

What's more, as sociologist Sibylle Gollac reminds us, in addition to socio-economic inequalities, gender inequalities persist. Indeed, despite a French civil code that requires equitable sharing between members of the same family, women are often at a greater disadvantage than men. The latter will usually receive major assets such as residences, businesses and major assets, while women will settle for sums of money at X time. As a result, even notarial law reproduces societal inequalities.

The family, a place of solidarity? Yes... but it's better to be born a man into a rich family.

Running time: 25min50

Image by IA (Copilot)