marriage and divorce

• why fewer marriages- liberation

  • Marriage was a necessity when women didn’t work. Today women can be economically independent.
  • Feminism has shown marriage to be patriarchal and controlling.
• why fewer marriages- secularization

  • Church sees sex without marriage as a sin.
  • Less than 1/3 of marriages now happen in church. (ONS)
  • Less people believe that before having children, people should marry: 1989 - 70%, 2012 – 42% (BAS)
• why fewer marriages- fear of divorce

  With 42% of marriages ending in divorce at a cost of £20k, less people want to marry.
• functionalist view on marriage

  Parsons 1955: argues that marriage is essential as it serves functions for the individual and society
• new right view on marriage

  Murray 1984: argues that Marriage is essential for the good of children and as part of a good and moral society
• feminist view on marriage

  Delphy and Leonard 1992: argue that marriage is a prison for women and one of the foundations of the Patriarchy.
• marxist view on marriage

  Zaretsky 1976: argues that marriage is an institution which serves the purposes of capitalism by providing a place to create and socialize the next generation of worker.
• causes of divorce- legal change

  • Divorce Reform Act 1969: you can be divorced due to ‘irretrievable breakdown’ which means it is easy to get divorced.
  • Number of divorces doubled by 1972.
• causes of divorce- value of marriage

  Fletcher 1966: a Functionalist, argues that divorce rates have risen because people place higher expectations on marriage. People are willing to divorce in the hopes of finding a better partnership.

  Delphy and Leonard 1992: Marxists argue that women are waking up to the exploitation of marriage and therefore value it less.
• causes of divorce- individualism

  • Marxists argue that we consume and have choice economically and see marriage as part of this.
  • Modern capitalism has forced us to think on an Individualistic basis and therefore pursue personal satisfaction ahead of loyalty treating marriage as a consumer good.
• consequences of divorce- detrimental effects on children

  Children from broken homes are:

  Five times more likely to develop Emotional Problems

  Three times as likely to become Aggressive

  Nine times more likely to become Young Offenders.