‘The main reason that marriage is in decline is because it is so much easier to divorce today.’ Explain and assess this view. [25 marks]

Question 1

INTRODUCTION

Answer 1

Some researchers like Patricia Morgan (2003) claimed that the institution of marriage is in decline based on a range of factors such as high
levels of divorce.
 In general, divorce rates have increased significantly in the advanced industrial societies. In the UK, number of divorces has increased from
117,588 in 2011 to 118,140 in 2012. In America, divorce rate is five times higher in 2014 than that reported in 2013. In 2014, South Africa is
representing African with its high rate of divorce at 61.2% from 34.5% in 2013.
 One of the main reasons for the decline in marriage is because it is easier to divorce today.

Question 2

1) Changes in divorce laws make divorce easier and cheaper to obtain compared to in the past.

Answer 2

 The Divorce Reform Act of 1969 – no longer necessary to prove that one party had to be found guilty of some form of misbehavior (e.g.
adultery, cruelty) to allow divorce. It simply has to demonstrate that a marriage has broken down beyond repair. After 1971, one way of
demonstrating ‘irretrivable breakdown’ of a marriage was by two years of separation. This change in the law was followed by a large increase
in divorce as more couples took advantage of the easier process of divorcing.
 Therefore, based on these changes, if countries introduce laws which make it easier to divorce, then more marriages will end in divorce.
However, the sharp increase in divorce rates does not indicate that there is a sudden marital breakdown. It merely reflected that many
couples who had been separated or living in unhappy marriages decided to divorce simply because of the changes in the law. Statistics might
just reflect how easier it is to obtain divorce not the extent of marital breakdown.
 Hence, divorce statistics can be misleading & should be treated with caution.

Question 3

Assessment starts here (Other reasons for marriage in decline in relation to divorce)

2) Changes in cultural attitudes

Answer 3

 Liberalisation of divorce means more couples file for divorce and this affects cultural values.
 If more couples get divorce then it becomes socially acceptable to divorce. There is less disapproval & condemnation of divorcees. As a result,
people are less afraid of the consequences of divorce and are more likely to seek a legal end to unhappy marriages.
 In many Asian countries, the social stigma attached to the status of ‘divorcee’ is still a significant barrier to get divorce but in countries such as
Japan and Singapore, divorce rates are rising significantly. This could be connected with the process of globalisation and the spread of Western
values.

Question 4

3) Secularisation

Answer 4

 Secularisation is used to describe the process whereby, especially in modern industrial societies, religious beliefs, practices and institutions are
losing significance. Secularisation has undermined the idea that marriage is a union for life and is reflected in the fact that there is much less
social stigma attached to the status of ‘divorcee’.
 Goode (1971) and Gibson (1994) argue that this has resulted in marriage becoming less of sacred, spiritual union and more a personal and
practical commitment which can be abandoned if it fails.
 Evidence for this lies in the fact that more than 65% of marriages today no longer involve a religious ceremony. Many people today do not
attach much religious significance to their marriages.

Question 5

4) Modern nuclear family

Answer 5

 In industrial society, the family specialises in fewer functions.
 Dennis – within smaller specialised unit, there is a potential breakdown due to fewer ties bonding the unit together. The loss of economic
function of the family as unit of production is particularly important.
 Goode – carries a heavier emotional burden when it exists independently than when it is a smaller unit within a larger kin fabric (extended
family)
 Leach (1967) makes similar point – He suggests that family suffers from an emotional overload, which increases the level of conflict between
its members.

 Therefore - ↑ marital breakdown (marriage in decline).

Question 6

5) Changing role/status of women

Answer 6

Thornes & Collard (1979) - Survey of married couples - women expect more from marriage than men and consequently tend to be less
satisfied with their marriages.
 Around 3⁄4 of divorce petitions are initiated by women and around seven out of ten of all divorces are granted to women. This suggests more
women than men are unhappy with the state of their marriages, and are more likely to take the first steps in ending them.
 Women’s expectations of life and marriage have risen during the course of the last century and they are less willing to accept a traditional
housewife/mother role, with the sacrifices of their own careers and independence.
 Over the past 40 years, the UK has seen a continual rise in the proportion of women in employment. The employment rate among women of
‘prime working age’ (25-54) is up from 57% in 1975 to a record high of 78% in 2017.
 However this had gradually increased their financial independence and reduced the extent of dependence on their husbands. Marriage has
therefore become less of a financial necessity for women and this makes it easier for women to escape from unhappy marriages.

Question 7

6) Marriage is still highly valued

Answer 7

Fletcher
 “A relatively high divorce rate may be indicative not of lower but of higher standards of marriage in society”. Marriage is increasingly valued
that people are demanding higher standard from their partners.
 Compare marriage standard then and now.
 Fletcher is suggesting that since people have higher expectations of marriage, if they stay married then it can be argued that they have a
quality relationship. This view of higher expectations of marriage is reflected in the fairly high rate of remarriages among divorced people.
Rimmer stated that 80% of those divorcing under the age of 30 remarry within 5 years.

Question 8

7) Alternatives to marriage (e.g. Cohabitation)

Answer 8

 Over the past 20 years, there has been a rise in the number of cohabiting adults in England and Wales. The number of opposite sex cohabiting
couple families increased significantly between 2001 and 2011, from 2.1 million to 2.9 million (Families and Households, 2011).
 Attitudes towards cohabitation have also changed. The 2006 British Social Attitudes Survey found two-thirds of respondents thought there
was ‘little difference socially between being married and living together as a couple’ (Beaujouan and Bhrolchain, 2011).
 Attitudes towards cohabitation in the UK are becoming steadily more positive: in 1989, 71% of survey respondents thought that couples
wanting children ought to get married. By 2002, this had dropped to 51% (British Attitudes Survey, 1989-2002).