ASP Principle 4—Family

This is the fourth in a series of member perspectives on the American Solidarity Party Principles.

Marriage and family are the primary and foundational relational institutions of all major human societies, and should thus always be supported and encouraged by the states and governments in which they are found. Families provide for the upbringing of children, giving them the nurturing they need to grow into roles as contributing persons and citizens of the state.  Marriages and families are present in all levels of civilization and across all cultures, from the past to the present, with marriage in particular being a unique human institution, and one uniquely designed to foster the stability of the larger family unit.

Without strong marriages and families, it is very difficult for individuals to thrive in society, whether as children or adults.  The state doesn’t replace the family, and healthy families are critical to ensure that the state is composed of many citizens who can contribute positively and meaningfully in their duties and vocations.  Similarly, families are not outside of the scope of the state, and in cases where families have regrettably and tragically neglected or abused their responsibilities, the state should provide resources to those who lack them in their family units.

The principle of family centrality matters because every individual, in some form or fashion, belongs to a family or group larger than themselves, and every country is a population built from families: there is no family living apart from a nation or state, and no nation or state that stands without families as the backbone of its population.  Family centrality is thus one of the most indispensable principles underlying all organized parties, nations, and states; without families, individuals would be left to fend for themselves, at the whims and caprices of whatever other groups would attempt to take their place.  Indeed, it’s hard to imagine any functioning society without standard family units as the basis of its population.

In our atomized culture, there has unfortunately been a significant reduction in close and healthy relationships, and thus major fractures in many family units.  A great number of Americans feel that they don’t have the financial means or support needed to raise children, or are skeptical of the benefits of marriage due to increased divorce rates, uncertain cohabitation, and social isolation.  American society has certainly been harmed by these things, and from abusive relationships in general.  The answer is not to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps, as though we don’t need anyone else’s help, nor is it to completely dismiss the state if it comes to help fill in gaps and needs not met by unstable families or other relationships.  Yet history and statistics reveal that those who come from a stable family are the most likely to be engaged positively in the civic sphere, so it is important to be reminded of the centrality of the family and the role healthy families play in human flourishing, both at the individual and collective level, including the state and nation level.  The American Solidarity Party doesn’t pit the family against the state or vice versa, as some do, but recognizes that each serves the benefit of the other: the more we build up and demonstrate the importance and necessity of healthy families, the more equipped citizens will be to handle the challenges of life, including service to the communities they inhabit, such as churches, workplaces, schools, teams, towns, cities, counties, states, and regions, as well as the various levels of organized government.

Marriage, family, and the state have this in common: they are not solitary in nature.  Marriage is the union of a man and a woman, and families include married couples as well as children, grandchildren, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.  The state, also, is a collection of many people, including many families.  It is clear that humans are a social species, operating best when surrounded by and influenced by others who have our best interests in mind.  We all need each other for community, for no one is an island, and no one can get by entirely on their own.  The state thus needs good families led by those in stable marriages, and good families should seek not only the benefits of their immediate kin, but also to extend their influence and enhance their communities, from the local on upward, to the states and nations, for we are all in this life together.  With each sphere cooperating to seek the welfare of the other, human civilization can continue with hope, purpose, altruism, love, responsibility, community, and dignity in the course of life.