Supporting points of large families in the transformation of modern family

The article is devoted to description of the factors (supporting points) of large families in modern Russia based on the analysis of data obtained by the authors in the course of many years of scientific research. The most important support of large families is their multigenerational character, where parents receive support from grandparents, as well as other relatives in raising children. The authors also name type of family (patriarchal or egalitarian), system of values including religion, settlement status, legal status of family, legal status of parents, education level of family fathers, matrimonial behavior and reproductive attitudes of modern youth as the supporting points of large families. An important factor in having many children is social policy of the state concerning family support. The authors conclude that the characteristics of modern Russian large families have changed. In particular, they point to some distinctive features: transition from forced large families to conscious ones; large families are gradually becoming a sign of well-being, an indicator of prestige and high social status; higher education of parents is not at all an obstacle to having large families, and higher education of fathers directly stimulates large families; cohabitation not only acquires the same legitimacy as legally formed family unions, but also does not limit itself to the number of children born, the phenomenon of illegitimate large families appears, etc. The authors pay a considerable attention to the issue of the status of family as a subject of law. Currently, through the activities of its members, family becomes a subject owing private property, in connection with which it claims to be endowed with the functions of a legal entity, and consequently, importance of the issue of the legal personality of the family increases: it is in the interests of modern large family - to become a generally recognized subject of Russian law, to be ranked not only among the subjects of certain legal relations, but law in general.