Sociology - Families - Changing patterns of divorce

Trends in divorce

-42% of marriages end in divorce
-Divorce rate has increased compared to 30 years ago
-Divorce rate has declined slightly over the past 10 years but is still high

Reasons for increases in divorce

-Changes in law - Divorce reform act (1969) widened the grounds for divorce (to include irretrievable breakdown), waiting time for a divorce decreased from 3-1 years
-Changing attitudes - More acceptable to divorce
-Changing position of women - greater financial independence

Sociological views of divorce

-Functionalist - divorce can lead to fewer dysfunctional families and greater harmony. Divorce creates jobs to help the economy. Divorce shows people have higher expectations of marriage.
-Marxist - divorce is more common in working class families due to stress/inequality caused by capitalism.
-Feminist - divorce can be positive to allow women to escape patriarchal relationships.