Full Idea
States and markets use their growing power to weaken the bonds of family and community. They made an offer that couldn't be refused - 'become individuals' (over marriage, jobs and residence). The 'romantic individual' is not a rebel against the state.
Gist of Idea
The state fostered individualism, to break the power of family and community
Source
Yuval Noah Harari (Sapiens: brief history of humankind [2014], 18 'Collapse')
Book Reference
Harari,Yuval Noah: 'Sapiens: a brief history of Humankind' [Vintage 2014], p.402
A Reaction
[compressed] See the film 'Breaking the Waves'. An interesting slant on the Romantic movement. See Wordsworth's 'Michael'. Capitalism needs shoppers with their own money, and a mobile workforce.
Related Idea
Idea 20718 Modern western capitalism has free labour, business separate from household, and book-keeping [Weber]