Marriage patterns and divorce
over the last hundred years
Describe the changes and give
reasons for the change
Major Trends in Marriage over the last 100 years.
• Total number of marriages have declined form
397 per thousands(1961) to 306 per thousand
(2000),Social Trends 2003.[23% decline]
• Number of remarriages is increasing
• Late marriages –fertility rates are dropping
• Smaller family size
• Compare trends from different societies, class,
ethnicity, religious background.
Major Trends in Divorce over the last 100 years
• Divorce rate have increased. 4 in 10 marriages
end in divorce, [one plus one survey]
• Number of petition for divorce have increased
from 32000 to 157000, social trends 33,
2003.[increased by 5 times]
• 11.2 persons divorcing per thousand married
people in 2001-England and Wales [social
trends33, 2003]
• Most of the divorce petition are filed by women
(70%), one plus one survey
• Show how divorce has replaced death as the
cause of second marriages
Nicky Hart (1976):sociological analysis of
marital breakdown
• Factors that affect the value attached to
marriage
• Factors that affect the degree of conflict
between the spouses
• Factors that affect the opportunities for
individuals to escape from marriage
Women status in society have improved
• More liberal social cultural expectations of
women
• More opportunities for education.
• Improved economic status, more financial
freedom as career women. Therefore, women are
getting married later as they concentrate on their
career
• Legal-equal pay act or equal opportunity act or
divorce reform act of 1969
• Political-power
• Technology- time-saving household gadgets
• Better health care
Women status have not changed significantly.
• Work: low pay( 70-80% of what men gets), low
skill and low status
• Family-unpaid domestic labour and childcare;Ann
Oakley
• Wider society: sexism, devalued, discrimination,
second class citizen
• Financially –Carolyn Volger -80% of men control
the family finances
• Ideology is patriarchal-power relationship
• Supermom syndrome or double-burden
• Differences of women status among different
classes, ethnicity, race or culture
Summary of changing pattterns of marriage,
cohabitation, separation & divorce.
• A growth in ‘reconstituted’ families following divorce
and remarriage. More than 2 in 5 of all marriages
involve the remarriage of at least one partner and a
growing number of children live with a step-parent.
• A fall in the marriage rate
• A growth in cohabitation-25% of all non-married men
and women between the ages of 16-59 are cohabiting
at any one time. Cohabitation is often followed by
marriage.
• An increase in divorce after the 1971 Divorce Reform
Act. 70% are filed by women.
Changing patterns of childbearing
• A fall in the fertility rate leading to smaller families and a growth of
childless couples. Currently fertility rate is 60 births per 1000 women of
child-bearing age per year as compared with 115 in early 1900’s. In 1970s,
fertility fall below the rate to keep the population size stable and remained
below this level ever since.
• Women aged 25-29 most likely to give birth for the first time
• Women aged 30-34 more likely to give birth for the first time rather than
women aged 20-24.
Reasons for the fall in fertility rates and the increase in the average age of motherhood:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Fall in the infant mortality rate
The greater availability and choice of reliable contraceptives
Late marriage
The high cost of raising children, smaller family size
Medical improvements in childbirth
The increase in the proportion of women in higher education
More employment opportunities for women leading to an
increased proportion in the labour market
• Changes in women’s perceptions of their role.
Other Reasons for Changing Social Trends
Family, Marriage and Divorce Patterns
•
•
•
•
Economic factor
Higher expectations of marriage (Ronald Fletcher)
Globalisation and liberalisation of values
Diversity and celebrate differences (Post-Modernism)
Is it true that the high divorce rates has caused the decline in the status of marriage?
Introduction: Definition: marriage & divorce.
Assumption in the question that there is a decline in the status of marriage.
For the view
AGAINST THE VIEW
Is it true that the high divorce rates has caused the decline in the status of marriage?
Introduction
Definition: marriage & divorce
Assumption in the question that there is a decline in the status of marriage.
For the view
a. prove that there is a decline in the status of
marriage
-not getting married/less marrried-40%
singledom, 2001-29% or cohabitation
-less marriages
-beliefs: marriages need no longer be
sanctified by religion with more civil
marriages rather than church wedding
There is general consensus that there is a
decline in the status of marriage.
b.Prove that high divorce rates causes the
decline in the status of marriage
-Fear of failed marriage: 4 out 10 [one on one
survey] risk averse
-Ease of getting divorce has lowered the status
of marriage :people perception of marriage is
lowered
Final balanced conclusion: It’s a cycle: status
of M affects divorce and divorce affects M.
Alternative argument: decline in the status of
marriage that causes the high divorce rates?
No relationship between divorce rates &
decline of status of marriage?
Against the view:
1.Remarriage-marriage is still popular.
2. Changes in social expectations of marriage:
3. Other choices not high divorce rates or
alternatives of family structure: cohabitation or
singledom
4. Change in moral values in some societies
5. High Divorce is only one of the factor:
career, emotional or economic costs
6. Marriage is valued more : Ronald Fletcher
7.Opportunity to escape a failed marriage.:
changes in legislation-easier to file for divorce
8. Education has empowered women to file
for divorce as they are financially independent
9. It may not be true that high divorce rates
causes a decline in the status of marriage but
the reverse where a low status of the marriage
institution, cause people to accept divorce
easily. The low status of marriage may be
cause by secularisation. modernisation, change
in moral expectations, more priorities on .
alternative choices : single parent, singledom,
cohabitation.
WHAT OTHER QUESTIONS CAN BE ASKED FROM THIS SECTION OF THE
SYLLABUS?