Thursday, November 7, 2013

Culture news: Marriage culture or government culture?

Mollie Hemingway has written a very helpful piece that considers the growing divide between the married and unmarried.  Studies continue to reveal that women who are married are better off economically, and that marriage itself is a key factor in why this difference exists. Those who live in this marriage culture find their well being there.  Those who don't live in the marriage culture must look elsewhere in order to find support and well being. They turn to the government culture.  Hemingway writes: 

"It’s pretty simple, really. It may be popular to pretend that women and men are identical, but women and the children they love are the most vulnerable to the downsides of a culture where marriage is delayed or forgotten. We bear far more economic risk and suffer through the deleterious effects of instability. Women in strong marriages tend to have their basic needs cared for by their own family unit and the civil society closest to them. Women who are not in strong marriages rely on the government. Voting patterns reflect how women’s incentives change with changes in their marital status."

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