FAMILY-STRUCTURE AMONG URBAN, RURAL AND FARM POPULATIONS - CLASSIC SOCIOLOGICAL-THEORY REVISITED

As predicted by the classic sociological theories of Durkheim, Tonnies , and others, early sociological researchers found extensive differenc es between urban and rural residents in the United States. In recent d ecades, many of these differences have appeared to wane, or in some ca ses, totally disappear. Based on these classic theories, we maintain t hat many of the urban/rural differences found in the past were actuall y farm/nonfarm differences. Further, we argue that many of these diffe rences continue to exist in rural America, but they have been suppress ed by major demographic transitions, Utilizing Current Population Surv ey data on family structure, we found that there were few significant differences between urban and rural nonfarm residents, but both varied extensively from various segments of the farm population.