The Divorce Rate and Women in the Workplace

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The Divorce Rate and Women in the Workplace

Marriage

Most ancient societies needed a source environment for the upholding of the

species and a system of rules to handle the granting of property rights. The institution of marriage handled both of these needs.

Some varieties of marriage are Polygamy- one man, several wives or one woman,

several husbands. Polygyny- one man, several wives. Polyandry- one woman, several

husbands. Endogamy- requirement to marry someone who belongs to his or her own

group. Exogamy-People have to marry someone from another area. We are most

familiar with the Common-law marriage-Monogamy- one man and one wife.

Regardless of the type of marriage whether it be Polygamous or Monogamous all

are dependent on a common bond. If that bond breaks the end result is Divorce.

Divorce

Divorce has been developing and growing in what is today the United States for

over three hundred and fifty years. Today it is a customary or traditional way to resolve

marital incompatibility. This is not to suggest that all Americans accept divorce. Many

opposed divorce in the past, and many continue to oppose it today.

The Pro-divorce group had several powerful allies; factors that pushed the divorce

rate upward and forced many Americans to accept the presence of divorce.

Causes for Divorce

Sociologists and Historians have long maintained that these factors included

industrialization, urbanization, increasing mobility of Americans, broad-minded attitudes

in the American West, men’s and women’s entry into the paid labor force, women’s

changing roles, and the gradual broadening of divorce laws and judicial decisions

regarding divorce. Recently, several historians enlarged the list by demonstrating that the ...

... middle of paper ...

...idering current trends in divorce rates and the increase in married women’s

employment are likely to continue, and understanding of their linkage may facilitate any

further negative consequences and propel future adaptation and understanding between

the sexes.

Works Cited

Bianchi, Suzanne M. and Spain, Daphne. “Women, Work, and Family in America.”

Population Bulletin (1996): 11-12.

Brown, Clair and Pechman, Joseph A. “Gender in the Workplace.” Washington, D.C.:

The Brookings Institution, 1987.

Crouch, John. “Divorce Rates and Marriage Rates—What happened.” Divorce Reform

Page . Online. 8 Dec 2001.

Riley, Glenda. Divorce: An American Tradition.

New York: Oxford UP, 1991.

Stuber, Irene. “Women’s Military History.” Women’s Internet Information Network.

Online 8 Dec 2001.

Yalom, Marilyn. A History of the Wife.

New York: HarperCollins, 2001.

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