HISTORICAL CHANGES IN THE CONCEPT OF CHILDHOOD PHILIPPE ARIES (1962)
BEFORE 1600 A CHILD OF 5 BELONGED TO THE ADULT WORLD OF WORK, LEISURE AND SEX ARIES USED EVIDENCE FROM PAINTINGS
1700-1800 CHILDREN STILL SEEN AS AN ECONOMIC ASSET INDUSTRIALISATION NEEDED THEIR SKILLS TREATED WITH LITTLE OR NO AFFECTION
1800-1900 CHILDRENS ECONOMIC ROLE LESS RESTRICTIONS PLACED ON CHILD LABOUR COMPULSORY SCHOOLING FOR MIDDLE CLASSES
1800-1900 MIDDLE CLASS CHILDREN SEEN AS INNOCENTS AND NEEDED PROTECTING WORKING CLASS CHILDREN SEEN AS CORRUPT AND WICKED AND NEEDED TO BE CONTROLLED
1900-1950 CHILDREN BECAME ECONOMICALLY WORTHLESS BUT EMOTIONALLY PRICELESS CHILD CENTERED SOCIETY EMERGED REALITIES OF LIFE WERE HIDDEN FROM CHILDREN
1950-PRESENT CHILDREN HAVE GROWING AWARENESS OF THEIR RIGHTS MORE ACTIVE IN FAMILY LIFE SEEN AS AN ECONOMIC FORCE ‘PESTER POWER’
Criticisms Ignores brutality in pre-industrial times. Does not look at child abuse issue. Used paintings (reliable?). Pollack looked at diaries 16th -20th century and found childhood did exist.