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Examine the effects of social change on the position of children (24 marks)

The position of children has undergone significant change, this will be examined alongside with the effects in this essay. There are many reasons why the position of children has changed and I will be examining whether the impact is positive or negative.
In modern society it is argued that childhood is a social construct, which is where the individual experiences things which have been created. In pre-industrialisation the child had a similar role to the adults which was economic, this was researched by Aries. He studied paintings which were created in pre-industrialisation, the problem with this is that it has been interpreted by him and the painter and therefore may present bias or inaccurate findings or only give a one sided view. The children were expected to work and therefore had no/little education and their socialisation is very different to the children in modern society. The position of today’s children is to go to school, enjoy being a child and be dependent on the adult’s this was not evident in pre-industrialisation. This is proven in Aries findings, this is because he found that they were like a smaller version of an adult, for example with the clothes they wore and their expectations to work. He concluded that childhood did not exist, however in today’s society childhood is a significant lifestage and is essential in the future of the social actor (person).
Industrialisation saw the first signs of childhood and therefore the beginning of their identity and a change of their position. Education became available to middle class children and by the 1880 all children from 5 to 10 had to attend school. As a result of this, it meant that children were not allowed to work at a young age and had the chance to gain an education and interact with children. By 1889 the age was

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