To What Extent Have People's Conceptions Of Childhood Changed Over The Centuries

To what extent have people’s conceptions of childhood changed over the centuries?

The western idea of childhood is presented as a social construction, aimed at highlighting a lacking in physical and physiological development. This conception is not consistent with previous ideologies, nor does it reflect a universal truth. This essay argues that historical advancement has little to no influence on childhood conceptions, as ideologies are shifted by contextual factors rather than the progression of time. Childhood ideologies have experienced little change, as reoccurring conceptions arise with a fluctuating community environment. First, this essay will consider an individual’s cultural origin, and how it affects their perspective and conceptual outlook. Following this, it will explore how the financial welfare of a community may lead to the imposition of childhood responsibilities, and hence an ignorance to youth. Finally, it will demonstrate how geographical location determines an individual’s conceptual standpoint towards romanticised childhood. This essay will be focusing on the universal development and differences in childhood conceptions, as opposed to observing individual examples due to a
The idea of child workers was a predominant social normality in lesser-developed countries, long before the revolution. They were perceived to be ‘mini adults’, as evident through their disproportionate representation in historic images and paintings. Correspondingly, Phillippe Aries makes these observations when studying images of Jesus and Mary; the child is shown to have an adult body despite its significantly smaller size. This hints at an ignorance to youth, where lower socioeconomic welfare results in the immediate imposition of childhood responsibilities. Therefore, this suggests that the conception of childhood adjusts with the shifting financial welfare of a community, rather than a historical