The Role of Family in a Civil Society

Marriage, Parentage, and the Constitution of the Family
Chuck Donovan (Heritage Foundation)

The family is a prime institution of civil society.
In its origins, it is both natural and pre-political.
Family is not the creature of the state but a network
of relationships between a man and a woman, their
offspring (if any), and the families from which they
themselves come and that their union will create.
In the modern era, temptations to experiment
with the institutions of marriage and family have
multiplied. With less emphasis on the long-term
responsibilities of marriage, the consequences of
redefining the institution for children and society
are subordinated to the desires of adults. Rather
than compound these weaknesses, policymakers
and citizens should consider and adopt necessary
reforms to strengthen families and rebuild civil society
as the engine of the greatest human goods.

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