Marriage in Sociology

Although we still see people with 'money pots' to save up for weddings and honeymoons, fewer and fewer people are getting married than before, overall (at least in the West). Why is this?

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    • Firstly, we'll begin with the introduction of marriage in sociology and consider different types of marriages.
    • Next, we'll look at some UK trends in marriage and challenges of marriage to explain the declining marriage rate in the West.
    • We will discuss 'new' trends in marriages.
    • Lastly, we will look at the importance of marriage by analysing how feminists, functionalists, the New Right, postmodernists, and personal life sociologists view the decline in marriage rates.

    Introduction of marriage in sociology

    Although the definition of marriage may seem obvious, it is a good introduction to the topic.

    Marriage is the legally recognised union of two people in a personal relationship. A legally registered marriage comes with financial and governmental benefits and rights.

    The Cambridge Dictionary of Sociology (p.354) states that

    marriage is a social institution defined by laws, culture, religion."

    In Western societies, people are only allowed to be married to one person at a time. This is called monogamy. Marriages can legally be terminated with a divorce.

    In a religious context, marriage is the union of two people recognised by God.

    Types of marriage in sociology

    Let us look at the different types of marriage.

    An arranged marriage is a union usually organised by two peoples' families. An arranged marriage is beneficial to both parties and their families for economic and practical opportunities. It is not focused on or based on romantic love.

    In pre-industrial Western society, arranged marriages were the norm. The upper classes wanted to enhance their family status and wealth through marriage while the lower-class families looked for better ways to distribute work.

    In non-Western countries, arranged marriages are still common practice.

    A civil partnership is a legal relationship that can be registered by a couple. It grants roughly the same rights as a marriage, except for the title and child-adoption rights.

    Same-sex couples often entered a civil partnership before it became legal for them to get married.

    Marriage, Same sex couple holding hands and walking in a field, StudySmarterFig. 1 - Before marriage was legal for same-sex couples, they often entered a civil partnership.

    UK trends in marriage: sociology

    Let's look at some UK trends in marriage. Generally, there has been a decline in the number of marriages for decades in the West.

    • In 2018, ONS registered the lowest number of marriages in England and Wales since 2009.
    • There was a decline in religious ceremonies.
    • Only around one-fifth of opposite-sex marriages were religious ceremonies in 2018.
    • In opposite-sex marriages, the average age for women was 35.8 years, while for men it was 38.1.
    • In same-sex marriages, the average age for women was 36.9 years, while for men 40.4.

    These point to a gradual increase in the average age at marriage (ons.gov.uk).

    Let us look at some challenges of marriage, which may explain the declining marriage rate in the West.

    • Weddings are increasingly expensive. A couple may want to save money for their first home rather than spend it on a wedding.

    • Due to the increasing cost of weddings, couples may choose to delay weddings to save up for them, especially if they want a 'dream' wedding.

    • Women have more career opportunities, so they are more financially independent and do not need a husband to support them.

    • Women are no longer pressured into marriages at a young age. It is widely accepted for both genders to search and wait for the 'right' partner.

    • Feminist sociologists have shed light on the exploitative aspects of marriage, so the traditional institution of marriage is no longer appealing for women.

    Various changes in social attitudes have gradually contributed to the declining marriage rate. As society has changed, so has its opinions about marriage.

    • Traditional religious organisations have lost their strong influence over Western society.

    • People no longer hold the same God-centred religious beliefs about marriage as before; for example, people are less likely to see marriage as a match created by God.

    • It is no longer stigmatised in wider society to have children outside of marriage, which means marriage is not a prerequisite for reproducing.

    • Sex and cohabitation outside of marriage are also commonly accepted in modern Western society.

    • The idea of searching and waiting for the ‘right’ partner is accepted, perhaps even encouraged.

    Finding romantic love, the 'right' type of relationship, and the ‘perfect’ partner is more important than having the legal status of being married.

    Fear of divorce

    • There is an increasing fear of divorce; Anthony Giddens and Ulrich Beck (1992) claim that divorce statistics put off people. They don't want the risk of the marriage not working out.

    • People fear both the economic and emotional consequences of a divorce.

    'New’ marriage trends

    People in Western countries have not given up on marriage completely; they are still very common. So, what has changed?

    • Fewer people marry.

    • People marry at an older age than before.

    • There are more remarriages.

    • Fewer people marry in a church, or in a religious ceremony.

    • People marry for love instead of economic reasons.

    • People participate in relationship counselling and marriage guidance to make their partnership work.

    These factors all affect the marriage rate.

    The increasing rate of cohabitation is an important reason for the decline in the marriage rate.

    Cohabitation refers to a couple living together as if they were married, but without the legal status and rights of a marriage or civil partnership.

    In simpler terms, it is an unmarried couple living in the same residence. According to statistics, cohabitation is a rapidly growing 'marriage type' in the United Kingdom. Some people choose cohabitation instead of marriage because they believe it provides a more equal relationship and household.

    However, cohabitation is not necessarily an alternative to marriage. Many people live in cohabitation before they get married to test if they are compatible. That said, cohabiting couples are more likely to break up than married couples.

    The importance of marriage in sociology: sociological perspectives on marriage

    We can understand the importance of marriage in sociology by considering how different sociological perspectives view marriage. How important is it to marry, and to deal with declining marriage rates?

    Researching marriages is sometimes difficult because of missing legal records and confusing statistical data. Nevertheless, the decline in the number of marriages (and the increase in the number of divorces) in the West has been clear for decades.

    Feminist perspective on marriage

    Feminist sociologists of the 1980s, led by Ann Oakley and Christine Delphy, held negative views on marriage. They argued that marriage was the construct of the patriarchal system and that the marriage contract in reality was a work contract.

    According to feminist sociologists, men exploited their wives in two ways: through women's bodies and through women's labour.

    Sexual assault within marriage was not considered a criminal offence in Britain until 1992. A husband was allowed to take advantage of his wife's body any time, even against her will.

    Women do the majority of the labour of the household and childcare to support their husbands' jobs. All of this is unpaid and therefore exploitative.

    Oakley (1974) criticised the unequal division of housework in particular. She claimed that while men were associated with serious, creative work outside the home, women had to deal with the low-status work of cleaning and shopping, which offered little opportunity for creativity and self-fulfilment.

    Feminists, in general, saw divorce as a way to 'break free' from men's control and therefore from exploitation.

    Functionalist perspective on marriage

    Functionalists are optimistic about marriage. Marriage is an important institution in society, as it fulfils the function of socialisation of the young and reproduction of the next generation. Therefore, marriage is essential for the cohesion and social solidarity of society.

    Functionalists claim that the reason why many marriages fail is that people have overly high expectations towards their partners and towards the institution of marriage. According to them, people want their partners to be everything at the same time: romantic lovers, caring parents, and supportive friends. When marriage does not provide them with all of these, they are disappointed in the institution and get a divorce.

    The New Right perspective on marriage

    The New Right is devoted to the traditional institution of marriage. They see marriage as the path to the nuclear family, which they think serves as 'the building block' of society. According to them, the rising divorce rate in the West is the result of a general moral decline, which needs to be reversed for society, especially for children.

    The New Right has very negative views on the rising number of welfare-dependent single mothers that arise as a result of broken-down marriages.

    Marriage, Happy family walking on beach, StudySmarterFig. 3 - The New Right sees the nuclear family as the building block of society.

    Postmodernist perspective on marriage

    The research of Ulrich Beck and Elisabeth Beck-Gernsheim (2001) raises awareness of the insecurities and difficulties people in postmodernist Western society face when it comes to dating and relationships. People have more opportunities in life, which means more insecurity.

    They want to perfect themselves, and find the perfect partner and the most suitable relationship style. This means they do trial runs and live in cohabitation before committing to marriage. As a result, people get married later in life. At the same time, the rising divorce rate puts others off completely from the idea of marriage.

    Postmodernists in general see the value in marriage, but they recognise that societal pressure and changes make it increasingly difficult to stick with it. Postmodernists support family forms that are different from the traditional nuclear family too.

    Personal life perspective on marriage

    Sociologists of the personal life perspective aim to understand what marriage means for the individual.

    Personal life sociologists, strongly influenced by interactionists, argue that romantic relationships can be substituted by non-romantic ones. Therefore, marriage is not a necessity for everyone; emotional support, happiness and fulfilment can come from friends, relatives, hobbies, sports, and even work.

    Marriage in Sociology - Key takeaways

    • Marriage is the legally recognised union of two people in a personal relationship. A legally registered marriage comes with financial and government benefits and rights.
    • Feminist sociologists of the 1980s argued that marriage was the construct of the patriarchal system and that the marriage contract, in reality, was a work contract.
    • Functionalists were relatively optimistic about marriage. They claimed that the reason why many marriages fail is that people's expectations towards their partners and the institution of marriage are too high.
    • The New Right is the most devoted to the traditional institution of marriage. They see marriage as the path to the nuclear family, which they think serves as 'the building block' of society.
    • Postmodernists see the value in marriage, but they recognise that societal pressure and changes make it increasingly difficult to stick with it.
    Frequently Asked Questions about Marriage in Sociology

    What is marriage?

    Marriage is the legally recognised union of two people in a personal relationship. A legally registered marriage comes with financial and government benefits and rights. The termination of a marriage is called a divorce. In Western societies, people are only allowed to be married to one person at a time. If they get a divorce they can enter a marriage with another person. This is called serial monogamy.

    What is the purpose of marriage?

    The purpose of marriage is to legally unite two individuals in a personal relationship.

    What are the types of marriage in sociology?

    There are many different types of marriages, like arranged marriage, civil partnership, empty-shell marriage, cohabitation, etc.

    What are the characteristics of marriage in sociology?

    The characteristics of marriage in sociology are:


    • Fewer people marry.

    • People marry at an older age. 

    • There are more remarriages.

    • Fewer people marry in a church, during a religious ceremony. 

    • People marry for love instead of economic reasons.

    • People participate in relationship counselling and marriage guidance in order to make their partnership work.

    What are the functions of marriage? 

    Depending on which type of sociologist you ask, the functions of marriage differ vastly. Feminists believe that the function of marriage is to uphold the patriarchal structure and that women are exploited by their husbands. Functionalists claim that marriage is essential for the cohesion and social solidarity of society, as it socialises the young and reproduces the next generation.

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    Test your knowledge with multiple choice flashcards

    What do we call a union that is organised by the two peoples' families and is usually not based on romantic love?

    In 2018, ONS registered the lowest number of marriages in England and Wales since 2009.

    Due to secularisation, people no longer hold the same God-centred religious beliefs about marriage as before; for example, people are less likely to see marriage as a match created by God.

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