examine reasons for change in divorce rate since 1970

Examine the reasons for changes in divorce rate since 1970
Since the 1960’s divorce rate began to increase dramatically but the biggest rise in divorce rate was in 1972 when it doubled and was 120,000. The divorce rate continued to rise and in 1993 reached its peak at 180,000. There has been explanations for the rise in divorce which are: secularisation, changes in law, divorce had become cheaper and also changing attitudes in society especially with women as they had begun to receive more rights. By the times divorce had become a lot more socially acceptable.
In the 19th Century divorce was extremely difficult to obtain, more so for women. Eventually in 1923 grounds were equalised for men and women, but this was followed by a sharp rise in the number of divorce petitions from women. Again in 1972, the grounds widened to ‘irretrievable breakdown’ which made divorce easier to obtain and produced a doubling of the divorce rate overnight. The introduction of legal aid for divorce cases in 1949 lowered the cost of divorce. With each change in the law divorce rates have risen. The new right are against the introduction of new laws which make marriage easier as it breaks up the idea of a traditional family which they support. It lead to a trend in single parent households.
There were many laws which helped divorce become a lot cheaper and easier to obtain, the most significant law put in place in examining the reasons for changes in divorce rate is the law which was passed in 1971 which widened the grounds of divorce. The ‘divorce law reform act’ increased the divorce rates massively as now you were able to obtain divorce for ‘irretrievable breakdown’, this was a change to before when you could only obtain a divorce for desertion, adultery and abuse which were often very hard to find proof for this. Due to this in 1965 only 30,000 divorces were being granted. This doubled in 1972 to 120,000, this proves that the changes in the law played a huge part in the increase in divorce within the 1970’s.
Secularisation refers to the decline in the influence of religion in society, this can be seen as a contributor when examining the changes in divorce rates since the 1970’s. Sociologists argue that religious institutions and ideas are losing their influence in society and it is becoming more secular. For example church attendance has been and still is declining. As a result of secularisation, the traditional opposition to divorce carries less weight and people make choices based less on teachings of religions that are divorce is sinful. For example people who live in an empty shell marriage do not try and make their marriage work but instead seek a divorce. This could be a contributor to why 40% of all marriages in Britain end in divorce.
There has been a declining stigma on divorce and many attitudes towards it have changed, this being another reason for the increase in divorce rate. Churches condemned divorce and before the 1970’s there was a negative label on divorce. As the stigma declines and divorce becomes more socially acceptable, couples become more willing to turn to divorce as a means of solves their marital problems. The fact that divorce is now more common begins to normalise it and reduces the stigma attached to it. Due to the normalisation of divorce the traditional nuclear family is now less common, with studies showing that in 2002, 17,000 children are from separated for divorced parental homes.
The position of women is another reason that can be used when examining the changes in divorce rate. About 7 in 10 divorce applications are from women which is the complete opposite to the past. Women today are much more likely to be in paid work and therefore more economically stable. This leads women to be less financially dependent their partner. The availability of welfare benefits means that women no longer have to remain financially dependent on their husbands. These developments mean that women are now more likely to be able to support themselves if they divorce. Feminists also agree with the fact that changes in the position of women has led to an increase in divorce rates since 1970, they also argue that the fact that woman are now breadwinners as well as homemakers has created a new source of conflict between husband and wife and this also leads to the rise in divorces.
A final reason to look at when examining the changes in divorce rate is the rising expectation of marriage. Functionalists argue that the higher expectations people place on marriage today are a major cause of rising divorce rates. Fletcher argues that higher expectations make couples nowadays less willing to tolerate an unhappy marriage so therefore turn to divorce. In the past, individuals were unlikely to have the high expectations of marriage as a romantic union of two souls that many couples have today. Today marriage is increasingly viewed not as a binding contract, but as a relationship in which individuals seek personal fulfilment and this encourages divorce if they do not find it. Marriage is viewed as finding your ‘soul mate’ so if the love disappears and you’re living in an empty shell marriage the only option people see is divorce.
To conclude, when examining the reasons for the changes in divorce rate since 1970 you can see there are 5 different, significant factors which play a huge part in the increase in the divorce rates. Changes in the law, secularisation, declining stigma towards divorce, changes in the position of women and also the rising expectations of marriage are these factors. Each one had an effect on the divorce rate resulting in its peak in 1993 at 180,000. The factor which caused the greatest increase in the divorce rate was the introduction of new laws as each one made it easier to obtain a divorce, leading more people to do so. With the ‘divorce reform act’ being passed in 1971, a year later the divorce rate had doubled.