Changing Attitudes: Marriage, Divorce, Family Life and Reasons Flashcards
What are five points for marriage?
Effective contraception makes it safer to have sex before marriage
The media and celebrities popularised cohabitation
The media and celebrities popularised pre-marital sex
Increasingly global view of the world
The Civil Partnership Act 2004 (which came into force on 5 December 2005) has led to an increase in reconstituted families
What are four points for divorce?
New laws have made divorce much cheaper and easier for ordinary people (e.g. Matrimonial Causes Act 1973)
Media’s portrayal of families and marriages have normalised divorce
Women no longer depend on their husbands wages
Increasingly global view of the world
How many marriages end in divorce?
42% of marriages in England and Wales end in divorce
What are four points for family life?
The popularity of cohabitation means that there are more cohabiting families
The increase in divorce has led to more remarriage so there are more reconstituted families
More mothers are in paid employments so grandparents look after the children
Society now accepts unmarried mothers
Explain the reason: Increasingly global view of the world
e.g. technology, media and travel
This brings different views and attitudes together and now people are more readily acceptting
Explain the reason: Multi-faith society
A mixture of cultures and ideas in the UK means that people must come to an agreement about what is acceptable
This helps to encourage harmony
Give an example about how attitudes to divorce and remarriage have changed (royalty)
In 1936, King Edward VIII was forced to give up his position as king to marry an American divorced woman, Mrs Wallace Simpson
In 2005, Prince Charles, a divorced man, married Mrs Camilla Parker Bowles, a divorced woman
Charles is in line to become the next King of England
What are the advantages of cohabitation?
Living together is a good way to see if you are compatible
Marriage is merely a piece of paper, it is no guarantee of happiness
The practical side of breaking up is straightforward
People may not wish to marry again if they have had a bad experience
What are the advantages of marriage?
Different and deeper, much more than just living with someone
Vows made publicly are special
Cohabitation is for people who are scared to commit
More legal rights for individuals when married
More likely to try to make the relationship work
