AS sociology family and households' Demographic changes (10 markers)
Divorce - The legal termination of a marriage
Since the 1960s the number of divorces has increased in the UK. The number of divorces each year rose from
27,000 in 1961 to a peak of 180,000 in 1993, then fell back to around 118,000 by 2012. The number of
divorces doubled between 1961 and 1969.
Reasons for the increase in divorce rate
1. Changes in the law means that divorce is cheaper and easier to get, as well as giving men and
women the equal right to divorce. The changes in The Divorce Law Reform Act of 1969 (which came
into effect in 1971) were the major change that meant divorces were dealt with appropriately, and
that there could be a variety of grounds on which you could now appeal for a divorce. The
Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act of 1984 meant that people could also divorce now within
one year of marriage, where before they had to wait three years. In 2011, the government decided
that to make the process quicker, disputes over childcare and money but be sorted before the court
process begins. 1949 legal Aid and advice act provided finical help for those who couldn’t afford a
divorce.
Equalizing grounds between sexs
Widening grounds for divorce e.g. desertion / no longer in love
Making divorce cheaper
2.Changes in society include a variety of reasons, as listed below:
Reduced functions of the family – therefore people will not stay together just for financial support
and will divorce if the love breaks down.
The changing role of women – women now have more rights than ever to challenge the patriarchal
arrangements of the family and so will seek divorce if their needs aren’t met and if they feel
oppressed and controlled by their marriage.
Rising expectation of marriage – we expect more from our marriages today than we have done in
the past and so will not remain in the marriage if these expectations are not met for both parties
involved (these include love, companionship, understanding, sexual compatibility, personal
fulfilment)
Growing secularization – religious thinking is becoming less and less prominent in society and so
Goode (1971) and Gibson (1994) explained that this is because the sacred and spiritual union that
marriage was once viewed as no longer exists and it is now more of a personal and practical
commitment which can be abandoned if it fails. More likely to get divorce even priests have become
more lenient.
Changing social attitudes – Beck and Beck-Gerstein (1995) see rising divorce rates as a product of
the growing individualization and uncertainty of late modern and postmodern societies. We have
more of an individual choice and so if a partner does not satisfy your needs you move on and swap
partners, exhibiting your choice over the situation until you find the right partner for you (Giddens,
1993)
The greater availability of, and more effective, contraception – it is now safer to have sex outside of
a marital relationship, and with more than one person during marriage. This weakens traditional
Divorce - The legal termination of a marriage
Since the 1960s the number of divorces has increased in the UK. The number of divorces each year rose from
27,000 in 1961 to a peak of 180,000 in 1993, then fell back to around 118,000 by 2012. The number of
divorces doubled between 1961 and 1969.
Reasons for the increase in divorce rate
1. Changes in the law means that divorce is cheaper and easier to get, as well as giving men and
women the equal right to divorce. The changes in The Divorce Law Reform Act of 1969 (which came
into effect in 1971) were the major change that meant divorces were dealt with appropriately, and
that there could be a variety of grounds on which you could now appeal for a divorce. The
Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act of 1984 meant that people could also divorce now within
one year of marriage, where before they had to wait three years. In 2011, the government decided
that to make the process quicker, disputes over childcare and money but be sorted before the court
process begins. 1949 legal Aid and advice act provided finical help for those who couldn’t afford a
divorce.
Equalizing grounds between sexs
Widening grounds for divorce e.g. desertion / no longer in love
Making divorce cheaper
2.Changes in society include a variety of reasons, as listed below:
Reduced functions of the family – therefore people will not stay together just for financial support
and will divorce if the love breaks down.
The changing role of women – women now have more rights than ever to challenge the patriarchal
arrangements of the family and so will seek divorce if their needs aren’t met and if they feel
oppressed and controlled by their marriage.
Rising expectation of marriage – we expect more from our marriages today than we have done in
the past and so will not remain in the marriage if these expectations are not met for both parties
involved (these include love, companionship, understanding, sexual compatibility, personal
fulfilment)
Growing secularization – religious thinking is becoming less and less prominent in society and so
Goode (1971) and Gibson (1994) explained that this is because the sacred and spiritual union that
marriage was once viewed as no longer exists and it is now more of a personal and practical
commitment which can be abandoned if it fails. More likely to get divorce even priests have become
more lenient.
Changing social attitudes – Beck and Beck-Gerstein (1995) see rising divorce rates as a product of
the growing individualization and uncertainty of late modern and postmodern societies. We have
more of an individual choice and so if a partner does not satisfy your needs you move on and swap
partners, exhibiting your choice over the situation until you find the right partner for you (Giddens,
1993)
The greater availability of, and more effective, contraception – it is now safer to have sex outside of
a marital relationship, and with more than one person during marriage. This weakens traditional
