Chapter 5: Expectations and Reality of Support Sharing within Personal Networks in Economically Hard Times: The Case of Lithuania

The family was considered for ages as the main and almost the only shelter ensuring protection against threats from external forces, including economic crises (Robila, 2004). Yet, a welfare state developed since the second part of the twentieth century took over part of the family's functions related to social security, protection against financial poverty and material deprivation. Family members obtained an opportunity and greater freedom than ever before to cope with material problems individually without expecting and waiting for support from the family or community (Boh, 1992; Sheppard, 2009; Thornton & Philipov, 2007). The latter circumstances created the conditions for the spread for individualism (Beck & Beck-Gernsheim, 2002), and a diminution of the instrumental role of the family in lives of individuals (Thornton & Philipov, 2007). Such an approach was strongly anchored in the last decade of the past century. Notwithstanding, the later research studies revealed that in situations of material or immaterial vulnerability, priority is mostly given to the family (Pahl & Spencer, 2004). Primary orientation towards family is observed in personal networks unites persons not only from the nuclear and extended families but, also, from beyond.