Sustained tribal/clan identities in Europe?

What is the differance between "clan ties" and "family connections"?
Scale. In non-clan systems, strong familial bonds beyond one's first cousins are typically weak, and indeed relationships with one's thirds cousins or further are typically nonexistent.

Clans OTOH... well they cover pretty much the entire family tree. So their would be a familial bond and loyalty with ones 20th cousin say. The bonds are strengthened by how relationships in tribal societies are typically inter-tribal, and often consanguineous... so the "family tree" looks a little more like a lattice then a tree:p
 

whitecrow

Banned
Scale. In non-clan systems, strong familial bonds beyond one's first cousins are typically weak, and indeed relationships with one's thirds cousins or further are typically nonexistent.

Clans OTOH... well they cover pretty much the entire family tree. So their would be a familial bond and loyalty with ones 20th cousin say. The bonds are strengthened by how relationships in tribal societies are typically inter-tribal, and often consanguineous... so the "family tree" looks a little more like a lattice then a tree:p
As was pointed out, is this not already the case in Italy?

Also, in many countries where corruption is common *cough*EasternEurope*cough* having the right “family connections” is very important to get ahead in life.

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This may or may not be relevant to the discussion at hand, but I was talking with someone on the topic of strong family bonds and he pointed out that in the days before concept of social welfare was around, families had to stick together and support each other because they could rely on no-one else (in a way, it is “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” situation). But in modern western societies where there is social welfare system family bonds are weaker because an individual doesn’t have to rely on his/her family as much to survive. Maybe that is why stereotypically people from poorer countries have strong family values/bonds.

So maybe working of off that, if you want stronger family/”clan” identities in Western Europe you have to retard the development of social welfare?
 
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