Increase In Divorce Flashcards
Family structures changing
More diversity/nuclear family declining lost its value and function no longer needed
Eg less children due to women liberation/rising feminism less pressured to stay in a marriage/increase single parents as less stigma to be married/blended families increasing more accepted / divorce reform 1969
A03- Neurite = nuclear family important/decline in divorce and family diversity encouraged by welfare state
ALTERNATIVES to marriage
E.g. now empty shell marriages – live together but separate usually can’t afford divorce/marriage counselling increased
A03 - post-modernist view = more freedom of choice/changing values
Functionalists argue alternatives prevent good socialisation + can’t be social cohesion and value
COHABITATION
Divorce is flatlined because more people cohabit and less get married
EG Can’t afford marriages now £12,000 to £25,000/No individuality/women have more opportunities – rise in feminism/women’s liberation
A03- Argued that despite increasing divorced couples cohabiting to get married after/people get remarried which has been ignored/liberal feminists argue more opportunity for woman don’t prioritise marriages = divorce
INDIVIDUALISM
Prioritise themselves if they get divorced it’s personal reasons to be happy and due to feminism older women getting divorced.
E.g. women no longer needing men for financial stability – can divorce without financial consequence can afford it in comparison to past/increase childbearing age = easier to get divorced they don’t have to worry about children being affected.
A03- Post-modernists argue less value and religion and tradition = liberalism/individual freedom
ATTITUDES are changing
E.g. secularisation/less religious Society = less stigma towards divorce/society values and attitudes change towards divorce/society more accepting and divorce seen as common/rise in feminism.
A03-New right argue more divorce as change of attitude in society created moral decline, too much acceptance of diversity = Inability to commit to each other/bad for society/bad socialisation
LAWS introduced to help
E.g. divorce reform act 1969 = cheaper to get divorced/do it online/easier to get divorced due to broken down marriage can be classified and easier times/previously had to prove insanity or adultery/previously man only into Parliament to show evidence to get divorce/recent times blame aspect of divorce been removed easier to get divorced quickly
A03- Radical feminists = Declining marriage is positive marriage is patriarchal institution oppressing women and benefiting men/reflects great empowerment of women
