Patterns of marriage

Question 1

Different kinds of marriage

Answer 1

Serial monogamy - to marry more than once/have a number of long term partners
Polygamy - to have more one partner at the same time (religious term)
Polygamy - more than one wife
Polyandry - more than one husband

Question 2

Trends in marriage (stats)

Answer 2

2009 - only 231,490 couples got married
GMR (General marriage rate) Shows decline in marriage - 44.9 per 1000 females, 22 per 1000 males married in 2011 to 50 per 1000 females and 58.7 per 1000 in 1862

Question 3

Class differences in marriage

Answer 3

2012 - 66.3% of people in social class 1 were married, compared to 44.5% in social class 7

Question 4

Ethnic variations in marriage

Answer 4

3/4 of Pakistani and Bangladeshi women are married by 25, compared by 50% of white women
39% of British African Caribbean adults under 60 are married, compared with 60% of white

Question 5

Different types of ceremonies 2017

Answer 5

2017 - 70% civil, 30% religious

Question 6

New right on marriage

Answer 6

Patricia Morgan (2000) - concerned in decline of marriage as it creates social order
-Married people make better lovers, parents and workers, binds people to society
-Claims married men are more likely to be employed and earn up to 20% more

Rector (2014) - welfare state has damaged marriage, as it encourages single parenthood
-Welfare has become a substitute for a husband, creates loop where states promotes decline of marriage with generates a need for welfare
-Blame secularisation for decline in marriage, less people married in church means wedding vows taken less seriously

Question 7

Feminist views on marriage

Answer 7

-Believe that decline in marriage is positive

-Changes in attitudes - 1970s cultural shifts in idea of marriage, emotional and personal relationship rather than status
-Patriarchy marriage is on way to being replaced with egalitarian marriage

-Changes in significance - marriage is now a more elevated position, more willing to push back marriage

-Askham (1984) feminist - couples priorities compromise in marriage and that is essential
-Rise in divorce is not negative, but marriage is less of care-free choice, marriage is becoming stronger and not weaker
-seen as the ‘gold standard’
-Show that marriage is not decline but is changing

Question 8

How many marriages are remarriages?

Answer 8

40% - marriage is still popular