Outline and explain 2 reasons for the increase in the divorce rate since 1960’s apart from legislation.

Question 1

point 1

Answer 1

Secularisation

• church has less influence on todays modern society
• traditional church used to oppose divorce, now the churches opposition carries less wieght and people are less likely to be influenced by religious teachings.
• churches have also softened views on divorce, peharbs due to fear of losing credibility with the public

Question 2

Point 2

Answer 2

rising expectations of marriage

Fletcher- people are less willing to tolerate an unhappy marriage as their expectations are too high

• linked to ideology of romantic love
• if love dies, there is no longer any justification to remain married
• in contrast, people in the past had little choice on who they marriedm families were the unit fo production and marriages were contracted largely for economic reasons