Close family ties aids strong civic virtues

Those from supportive backgrounds were more likely to disapprove of fraudulent behaviour and “lying in your own interest”, a study which looked at a wide range of social groups showed. The data contradicted previous research which suggests the more a person is attached to his or her family the less likely they are to be concerned with “tolerance and justice” outside of their immediate group. Instead, a paper to be published by the Royal Economic Society indicated that members of tighter family networks promoted more altruistic attitudes through encouraging trustworthiness and a sense of duty. Martin Ljunge, assistant professor at the University of Copenhagen and author of the study said: “I find that family ties are strongly associated with attitudes that are important for building societies with higher mutual respect and fiscal capacity, attitudes I label ‘civic virtues.’ He added that those with close family ties were “substantially more disapproving of tax and benefit cheating, corruption, and a range of other activities which involve a personal benefit at the expense of other individuals.” The new research, entitled “Banfeld or Wilson? Evidence on Family Ties and Civic Virtues” included looking at evidence obtained from second generation immigrants from 29 countries. In particular, it compared the previous findings of political scientists James Q Wilson and Edward Banfield. Banfield’s research suggests close family ties leads to more parochial behaviour where the family unit exploits others for personal gain. Wilson’s studies have found strong family ties help build a better and broader civil society. Those polled in the latest research were asked to answer whether a range of statements were “always justified, never justified, or something in between”. The statements included cheating on taxes if you have a chance; claiming government benefits to which you are not entitled; avoiding a fare on public transport; paying cash for services to avoid taxes; and throwing away litter in a public place. Those with close family ties were found to have stronger civic attitudes. Assistant Prof Ljunge added: “The results support the idea that tightly knit groups, such as families, can promote habits that may be important for the success of the community.” He added: “I also find that individuals with stronger family ties think it is more important that children learn to respect others.”