Marriage

Overview

The institution of marriage is recognized throughout the world. Traditionally, marriage slightly different functions depending on the class of the people involed; for the lower classes, it was mainly a way to formalize the responsibility for the care of offspring. Among upper classes (at least in the West), it was also a way to seal bonds between aristocratic houses – sort of a familial corporate merger.

The following problems exist with marriage as it exists in modern western society:

• It is a binding contract...
  • ...whose terms are not printed on the page you sign (and indeed are not easy to find)
  • ...whose terms can change depending on where you are (in the United States, marriage laws vary by state; elsewhere they vary by country)
  • ...whose terms can change over time, with no notification to the signees
• It limits the family unit to one man and one woman plus any offspring, severely restricting the size and possible configurations of the adult contingent of a family unit
  • many religious groups see this rule as essential, however, and are fighting to prevent reform
• The terms are asymmetrical and discriminatory by gender
• The exit terms are typically vague, or at least do not spell out the full reality of the actions necessary to dissolve the marriage (lawyers are typically required in order to successfully navigate through the necessary paperwork)

In other cultures, marriage is sometimes less restricting; further study is warranted to determine how well various forms of marriage work, and in what specific ways they fail and succeed.

Incentives

Governments and cultures generally have laws and rules to encourage people to get married.

In the United States, one big incentive to get married is the reduction in health insurance costs. One's spouse is also considered to be "next of kin" and thus receives certain automatic rights, such as hospital visitation and effective power of attorney if the other spouse is unable to speak for her/himself.

Related Pages

• gay marriage: an issue mainly in the United States

Notes

Historical alternatives to "one man + one woman" marriage:

• Morganatic marriage
• Polygamy

Links

Reference

• Wikipedia
• Conservapedia takes the traditional Christian view: "Marriage is a union formed between one man and one woman, ordained by God."
• dKosopedia no equivalent page (as of 2008-03-02); see Special:Search/Marriage
• SourceWatch no equivalent page (as of 2008-03-02); see Special:Search/Marriage

Filed Links

1. redirect template:links/smw