Reasons for changing patterns

• Changing Attitude to Marriage -> Less pressure to marry and freedom for individuals to choose the type of relationship they want. The quality of the couple’s relationship is more important than the legal status
• Changes in the position of women -> With better educational and career prospects, many women have become less economically dependent, which gives them greater freedom not to marry (Feminist - Marriage is an oppressive patriarchal institution
• Declining stigma attached to alternatives to marriage -> Cohabitation, remaining single and having children outside of marriage are now regarded as acceptable. Pregnancy does not automatically lead to marriage (1989 - 70% believed that if you want children, you should get married vs 2012 - 42%)
• Secularisation -> All major religious organisations are in favour of marriage, but as their influence declines people feel freer to choose not to marry. (2001 Census - 3% of young people with no religion were married vs 17% with religion)
• Cost of Marriages ->

  • Practical Economics Reasons for the decline in marriage
  • Expensive - Especially for the poor
  • Recession has been the norm in western societies for some time now and account for the 7.5% decline in marriage rates for social class 7