Back in the day, marriages lasted for 30 years, not 30 days. Nowadays, people are filing for divorce, even before their honeymoon! The divorce rate in America in the 1930’s was 16%, and even lower than that in the early 1900’s. It was at a startling 50% in 2014 (Jones). Surprisingly, this is actually 2% less than the 1980’s, which was the highest recorded rate of divorce in America. Over 50% of first marriages end in divorce in the United States. 67% of second marriages end in divorce, and nearly 74% of third marriages end in divorce (Baker). There are many different reasons for the drastic rise in divorce in America, some much more common than others.
One reason that has been very common in most divorces is finances. Financial issues can be detrimental to a marriage. In earlier years, the cost of living was much less expensive. Since the 1930's, the cost of living in America has increased substantially due to inflation, Middle East wars, the population explosion etc. Also, some marriages stayed together back then because it was just too costly to divorce during eras like the great depression. Difference in spending habits and lack of communication can tear marriages apart. If partners disagree on issues like, how much is being spent by one another, it leads to arguments, and resentment. Such disagreements are not at all good for any relationship. Money problems can cause repossessions, foreclosures and ruin lives. When the income of a family declines, the stress it causes can ultimately lead to divorce. It is one of the most common factors in the cause of divorce in America today. “Financial issues are the primary reason for 90% of divorce cases”, says John Thayden, a prominent divorce lawyer in Washington DC (WUORIO).
Sociologists believe that childlessness is another common cause for divorce. The Discovery Channel states that couples with children have a slightly lower rate of divorce than couples without children. The absence of children can lead to loneliness. If couples have problems with infertility, it usually brings forth feelings of worthlessness and inadequacy. In America today, at least 66% of all divorced couples are childless. This could also mean that marriages stay together longer when there are children involved. The mindset then and now is that it is best to fight for the marriage for the sake of their children. However, this seemed to have mattered more so to couples years ago. Studies have shown that although couples today wait to file for divorce, they still go through with it once their children become adults. Divorce has become socially acceptable as opposed to in the past where as it was not. People celebrate divorce finalizations as if it’s a celebratory event. Back then, there was much more pride taken in the longevity of marriages. Men were proud to be the backbone and providers in their home and back then women let them. Today women have become so independent that they feel they don’t need a man to support them anymore. Women have equal rights now and are able to perform the same jobs as men as well as make the same amount of money. In my opinion, this is a primary factor in the cause of women becoming more open to taking on the role of the man thus adding to the number of divorces.
Higher divorce rates can also be the result of the advance in technology. Different factors like the Internet, emailing, and texting as opposed to actually calling and communicating verbally, has affected simple communication skills amongst people. People seem to have lost patience in trying to communicate in order to settle differences within a relationship. It seems that it has become so much easier to just remain angry at one another and file for