Higher Expectations of Marriage

• What did Fletcher the Functionalist say about divorce rates

  .he argues that higher expectations which people place on marriage are a major source of rising divorce rates
• What did Fletcher say about love

  .He said over last centuries there’s been an increasing emphasis on romantic love and so marriage is increasingly seen not as a binding contract but as a means of personal fulfilment and happiness

  .instead of seeing this as leading to decline in marriage ,he argues it strengthens marriage

  .most adults still marry and remarry so still an important and central institution in society