硕士学位论文

左家燕

论文题目：《现代化早期英国社会的婚姻与家庭状况研究》

指导教师：侯建新

答辩时间：2001年6月

论文摘要

本文研究了现代化早期英国的婚姻与家庭状况，探讨了其特点、影响以及婚姻、家庭与社会整体发展的相互关系。文章力求透过婚姻与家庭生活的变迁，加深对英国社会转型期的理解，从而也对当代中国的发展提供某些有益的启示。

绪论概述了论文的写作目的，文章的结构和大致内容，并简要介绍了有关该课题的研究现状。

第一章论述了婚龄、家庭结构和婚姻、家庭生活中的财产安排问题。与人们以往的印象不同，现代化早期，英国人普遍实行晚婚，女子初婚的年龄一般为24—27岁，男子初婚的年龄约是24—29岁。家庭结构也以核心家庭为主，平均人口约在4．75人左右。财产安排的最大特点则是保障财产所有权的独立和财产所有人的个人意志，如为妇女建立独立财产，通过遗嘱分配财产份额等。

第二章侧重于家庭关系的研究。16世纪到18世纪的三百年间，英国的家庭关系不断地改善和发展。父母对子女婚姻的控制力明显减弱，尊重个人的独立、自由和保护隐私权的倾向日益增强。爱情在婚姻中的比重逐渐增加，夫妻关系变得融洽和温暖。妇女和儿童在家庭中的地位显得愈发重要，亲切、温馨的画面开始更多地出现在英国人的家庭生活中。

第三章 婚姻、家庭生活的演变与整个社会的发展是息息相关的。新的生产方式的兴起，各种政治力量的兴衰起落，促进了家庭中新的财产分配制度的发展和巩固，导致了晚婚，有利于家庭中个人主义倾向的增长。宗教改革和资产阶级新思想的传播，使许多新的婚姻观念产生，并逐渐渗入人们的普通生活中。科学、医疗、卫生方面的发展，则增强了人们抵御自然的能力，加深了自我认识，从而为婚姻、家庭的变化创造了客观条件。

第四章 英国的婚姻与家庭生活在现代化早期呈现出某些鲜明的特点。它不仅深受社会发展的影响，反过来对于英国资本主义的兴起，工业化的产生也有一定的促进意义。我们应该辩证地看待家庭生活的发展，既肯定其积极的一面，也要看到发展过程中的负面作用。

结束语再次总结论文的主要内容和观点，认为个人权利的不断发展在婚姻与家庭生活的演变过程中是最为突出的。它适应了资本主义发展的要求，从而也有利于推动整个社会的前进。

[关键词] 英国 现代化早期 婚姻 家庭

ABSTRACT

The thesis deals with the development of marriage and family in early modern England. It tries to find out the distinguishing features and influences of marriage and family. It also explores the interrelationship between family and society. We hope that we could find some enlightenment from it.

In the introduction, it outlines the purposes of writing, the structure and content of this thesis and present studying situation.

Chapter I 　It discusses marriage age, family structure and property settlement. In early modern England, people married late in life generally. Simple family was the primary form. The main feature of property settlement was to ensure the independence of property ownership and the will of the owner.

Chapter II 　The emphasis is the relationship of family members. From 16 century to 18 century, family relationship was improved constantly. It was more and more difficult for parents to control the marriage of their children. The trend of individualism got stronger. The relationship between husbands and wives became warm and kind. There were more affective exchange between parents and children.

Chapter III 　Marriage and family keep in close contact with society. New means of production and changing of class power caused the development of marriage and family. Religion reformation and ideas of capitalism brought about the spread of new senses of marriage. The improvement of science and medicine also played an important role.

Chapter IV 　Marriage and family in early modem England have some distinct features. On the one hand they are deeply affected by society, on the other hand, they are advantage to the rise of capitalism. We should take dialectics to analyze the development process of marriage and family.

In the concluding remarks, it summaries the main content and viewpoints of this thesis again and stresses individual right.

[KEY WORDS] early modem 　England 　marriage 　family

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