The world historical transformation of marriage

When divorce occurred prior to the eighteenth century, it was more often to get a better set of family connections or because of childlessness rather than because love had fled the home.

“when divorce occurred, “it was more often to get a better set of [family connections] or because of childlessness rather than because love had fled the home” (Coontz 2004, p. 977).”

Western marriage values are in a state of relative flux.

“Various sources suggest that we are dealing with a moving target, as Western marriage values are in a state of relative flux (e.g., Coontz 2004)”

Prior to the eighteenth century, marriage was at its core a rather loveless instrument serving as a sorting hat for the economic and political hierarchy of society.

“Prior to the eighteenth century, things looked very different. For eons till then, marriage had been, at its core, a rather loveless instrument, serving as a sorting hat for the economic and political hierarchy of society.”

Contemporary Western marriage ideals include free entry by autonomous consenting individuals, initiation and sustenance by romantic love, primary orientation to personal happiness of spouses, companionship rather than child production, and lifelong monogamous fidelity.

“According to the basic stereotype, contemporary Western marriages should have the following hallmarks. They should be entered into freely by (two) autonomous, consenting individuals; they should be initiated and sustained by the power of romantic love, and they should conduce first and foremost to the personal happiness of the married individuals themselves (Coontz 2004; Spaht 1998).”