Marriage

What is marriage?

Its defined as the legally or formally recognised union of two people as partners in a personal relationship 

What has happened to marriage in the UK?

It has been in decline over the last 30 - 40 years

In the 1970’s. how many first marriages were there?

400,000 first marriages

In 2008, how many first marriages were there?

230,000

What do the marriage statistics of 2008 show?

The lowest since statistics were calculated in the mid 19th century 

In 2024, how many marriages were there in England and Wales?

248,897

What is happening to the fall in marriages?

It’s starting to flatten out

SOCIOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS

SOCIOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS

New Right - Welfare Legislation - What do the New Right tend to believe?

Government policy has not supported marriage 

New Right - Welfare Legislation - What has the welfare system encouraged people not to do?

To marry 

New Right - Welfare Legislation - Murray - What does Murray link welfare payment to?

Unmarried women, illegitimate births and the refusal of young men to get jobs 

New Right - Welfare Legislation - Murray - Why do young men refuse to get jobs?

They no longer need to be responsible for the children who they father 

New Right - Welfare Legislation - Lawlor - What did Lawlor claim?

Paid maternity leave and in work tax credits are discouraging people from getting married 

New Right - Welfare Legislation - Lawlor - Why are in work tax credits and paid maternity leave discouraging people from getting married?

Women can now support their families without the need for a husband 

New Right - Welfare Legislation - Lawlor -What does Lawlor suggest should be scrapped?

Paid maternity leave and in work tax credits 

New Right - Welfare Legislation - Lawlor - Who does Lawlor believe should be scrapped from receiving in work tax credits and paid maternity leave?

All non married partnerships and unmarried women 

New Right - Welfare Legislation - Lawlor - Why does Lawlor believe married couples should be the only people entitled to these entitlements?

To restore the dominance of the nuclear family

New Right - Welfare Legislation - Evaluations - Rates of first marriage and remarriage

Although the rate of first marriage have declined, remarriage remains a popular choice of partnership type despite the New Right arguing government policy has not supported marriage 

New Right - Welfare Legislation - Evaluations - Rates of first marriage and remarriage - How many marriages today and remarriages?

Almost half 

New Right - Welfare Legislation - Evaluations - Rates of first marriage and remarriage - In 2019, what did ONS show us?

18% of marriages were remarriages for one partner, and 15% were for both partners. 

New Right - Welfare Legislation - Evaluations - Rates of first marriage and remarriage - What has happened to the rates of serial monogamy or remarriages?

Increased from the 1970s and since levelled out 

New Right - Welfare Legislation - FINISHED

New Right - Welfare Legislation - FINISHED

Liberal Feminism - Employment Legislation - What would liberal feminists suggest about new legislative policies?

They allow women to become financially independent at an earlier age

Liberal Feminism - Employment Legislation - By being financially independent at an earlier age, what does this mean?

They don’t have the desire to seek financial dependence from a married partner 

Liberal Feminism - Employment Legislation - Examples of legislative policies

• Equal Pay Act 1970

• Sex Discrimination Act 

Liberal Feminism - Employment Legislation - Wilkinson - What would Wilkinson suggest there has been?

A genderquake 

Liberal Feminism - Employment Legislation - Wilkinson - What is a genderquake?

Women have become more confident and assertive. They have independent financial capabilities so there is no pressure to get married