Arranged Marriages
Arranged Marriages
What is an arranged marriage? Well in the Webster's dictionary it is defined as a marriage where the marital partners are chosen by others based on considerations other than the pre-existing mutual attraction of the partners.
This habit has been very common in noble families, especially in reigning ones, at the scope of combining and perhaps enforcing the respective strengths of originary families (and kingdoms) of the spouses. A relevant part of history has been influenced by these unions. Arranged marriage is also the marriage concluded with the help of a middleman, once frequent in less cultivated social classes. In some areas it is the man who chooses his wife, often paying some money for her, to her family and was common in many countries until the 19th century (and is still the habit in use in some areas), but an increasing number of young people today refuse arranged marriage.
Now that some of the basic history of arranged marriages has been defined and taken care of, let's move onto localized areas of arranged marriages
Japan - In modern Japan, more than 70% of all marriages are referred to as "love marriages," the rest are the more traditional arranged marriages (omiai). When an arranged marriage is desired, the man and woman, who are seeking a marriage partner, enlist the help of a go-between (nakodo). This allows the couple to meet and get to know each other and decide if a marriage is suitable. It is quite common for the parents of the man and woman to be present at the first meeting. Afterwards the couple meets socially over a period of time and then decides, if both are acceptable, to marry. This may seem a little clinical in the west, but in Japan, with its high work ethic, and large population, it is hard for some people to meet someone of the opposite sex. Now some may believe that these types of marriages does not last when in fact they have a higher success rate then those who go out and find someone to date and then get
What is an arranged marriage? Well in the Webster's dictionary it is defined as a marriage where the marital partners are chosen by others based on considerations other than the pre-existing mutual attraction of the partners.
This habit has been very common in noble families, especially in reigning ones, at the scope of combining and perhaps enforcing the respective strengths of originary families (and kingdoms) of the spouses. A relevant part of history has been influenced by these unions. Arranged marriage is also the marriage concluded with the help of a middleman, once frequent in less cultivated social classes. In some areas it is the man who chooses his wife, often paying some money for her, to her family and was common in many countries until the 19th century (and is still the habit in use in some areas), but an increasing number of young people today refuse arranged marriage.
Now that some of the basic history of arranged marriages has been defined and taken care of, let's move onto localized areas of arranged marriages
Japan - In modern Japan, more than 70% of all marriages are referred to as "love marriages," the rest are the more traditional arranged marriages (omiai). When an arranged marriage is desired, the man and woman, who are seeking a marriage partner, enlist the help of a go-between (nakodo). This allows the couple to meet and get to know each other and decide if a marriage is suitable. It is quite common for the parents of the man and woman to be present at the first meeting. Afterwards the couple meets socially over a period of time and then decides, if both are acceptable, to marry. This may seem a little clinical in the west, but in Japan, with its high work ethic, and large population, it is hard for some people to meet someone of the opposite sex. Now some may believe that these types of marriages does not last when in fact they have a higher success rate then those who go out and find someone to date and then get