Comments on: Marriage Explained

By: Vicki

Vicki — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 16:31:41 +0000

This is an interesting economic analysis of something most people believe happens for noneconomic reasons.

By: Linda Gorman

Linda Gorman — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 15:41:08 +0000

According to Robert Rector of the Heritage Foundation, the average single mother in the US now receives nearly three dollars in government benefits for every dollar she pays in taxes. The new health care legislation increases the benefit, and, as previously explained on this blog, has marginal tax rates that exceed 100% for some low income earners.

By: Virginia

Virginia — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 15:20:29 +0000

I’m curious: might the research suggesting that kids raised in stable two-parent families turn out better be a little biased?

Could it be that responsible people married because “that’s what you do”, and their stable children would have been raised in a similar fashion even if they had not been married?

It’s true that there economic/cultural reasons for getting married are no longer as big of a factor. But I think the bigger issue is one of self-actualization. More and more young people don’t feel the need to settle down when they’ve seen their parents and grandparents stay in unloving relationships because of the stigma of divorce. It’s much easier to go it alone than settle for someone who might make you miserable.

By: Devon Herrick

Devon Herrick — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 14:57:20 +0000

Years ago Becker’s research (from the 1970s I believe) found women’s standard of living typically falls after a divorce, whereas men’s standard of living tends to rise – suggesting women were more dependant on men than men were on women.

Yet more recent research by others finds that women are adapting to the changing economy better than men; and are attending college at rates greater than men.

As women become more integrated in the workforce and boost their economic power, the opportunity cost of child rearing rises and the economic necessity to marry falls. As women bear fewer children (e.g. maybe only one), traditional family living arrangements with shared parenting become less important (at least in theory).

Traditionalists attribute the decline of marriage to moral decay. But changing socioeconomic conditions explain much of the decline of marriage.

Europe is a somewhat different story. The high tax rates, tight labor market and costly resources (especially housing) probably negatively impacts the fertility rate.

By: Brian Williams.

Brian Williams. — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 14:03:46 +0000

According to research done by Brad Wilcox at the University of Virginia, marriage has a long-lasting impact on society. There are always specific exceptions, but generally speaking, children raised in intact married families are more likely to attend college, are physically and emotionally healthier, are less likely to be physically or sexually abused, less likely to use drugs or alcohol and to commit delinquent behaviors, have a decreased risk of divorcing when they get married, are less likely to become pregnant/impregnate someone as a teenager, and are less likely to be raised in poverty.