Divorce Flashcards
Which divorce law led to the greatest increase in divorce? Why?
1969 divorce law reform act led to greatest increase in divorce because it made it easier to get a divorce by widening the grounds for divorce
Allowed individuals to leave a marriage that were simply unhappy without either partners having to prove ‘fault’
Why may the 1969 divorce reform act have led to fewer empty shell marriages?
Either partner could end the marriage by saying it has ‘inevitably broken down’ and neither partner would be at fault for wanting to leave a marriage where there was no love or affection
How would changing divorce laws be viewed by the new right?
May have negative view because they argue that traditional nuclear families are both desirable and positive for individuals and wider society and these divorces laws make it easier for people to not be in a traditional nuclear marriage/family
How would changing divorce laws be viewed by radical feminists?
May have positive view because they argue society is patriarchal and men are the enemy and would therefore support the laws that allow women to remove themselves from unhappy marriages
How would changing divorce laws be viewed by liberal feminists?
May have positive view because they campaign for equality of both men and women and therefore would support laws that allow both men and women to remove themselves from unhappy marriages
How would changing divorce laws be viewed by postmodernists?
May have positive view because they argue we now live in a postmodern society characterised by rapid social changes and uncertainties where society has become fragmented
Therefore individuals should be able to make own choices and what they chose to do in terms of marriage and be easily allowed to remove themselves from an unhappy one
Why has greater social acceptance of divorce led to an increase in divorce?
There is no longer a stigma associated with divorce and it is now seen as normal and a part of modern life
How would greater social acceptance of divorce be viewed by the new right?
View in a negative way because they favour the traditional nuclear family and see any other family structure as unacceptable and therefore wouldn’t support divorce
Goes against their conservative political perspective of the family
How would greater social acceptance of divorce be viewed by postmodernists?
View in a positive way because they believe family life is characterised by choice, fluidity, diversity and change and people are increasingly rejecting traditional ideas about the family
Would support greater social acceptance as they believe individuals should be able to make own choices about how to live their daily lives
Why may changing attitudes lead to changing divorce laws?
What is socially acceptable and what isn’t changes rapidly due to changes in societies norms and values and therefore divorce laws may change with these social attitudes
Why has an increase in women in paid employment led to more women performing the dual burden?
Women now have to balance employment along with housework as their husband/partner may see housework as a feminine task they shouldn’t partake in
Why has an increase in women in paid employment led to more women performing the triple shift?
Along with doing the housework and emotional work women now have to balance all three because their husband/partner may be less likely to help them
Why would an increase in women in paid employment performing the dual burden and triple shift lead to women wanting divorce?
Feminists argue women are no longer prepared to put up with oppressive, unequal marriages and women who face the dual burden/triple shift are more likely to file for divorce as they are fed up of doing all the housework alongside paid employment with no help
Why is women being in paid employment allowing women to get a divorce?
They are financially independent and therefore able to support themselves financially
No need for them to stay in unhappy marriage just for financial reasons
Why may a high value of marriage lead to more divorces?
Couples expect to get more out of marriage and people are less willing to accept unhappy marriages where they aren’t getting everything they want out of it
