Introduction
Marriage has historically been a critical social institution and symbolic of elements such as love, stability, and social cohesiveness. Marriage was, and to some extent is, believed to be a matter of social good, defining cooperation and a sense of belonging to a family and community (The Economist 2017). In modern-day and marriage is rapidly becoming less popular, although widely still perceived as an essential step in a successful life.
Furthermore, the expectations of marriage have shifted on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, it is no longer a necessity in the sense of belonging or even survival (from a financial perspective), it is now an institution that values autonomy, growth, and self-expression. The transition in the institute of marriage has not become about isolation necessarily, but rather a matter of shifting priorities as people focus on themselves and other social connections while continuing to pursue romantic relationships at the same levels (Catron 2019).
The involved stakeholders in this social issue are the general population itself who is interested in romantic relationships that may be eligible for marriage as well as the general society itself which is seeing effects in economics and demographics. The purpose of this paper is to discuss marriage as a social structure in Western society has transitioned to be a less traditional and enforced institution but rather a demonstration of strong commitment and a social engagement that benefits both involved parties while also becoming broader in the scope of family structures and practices.
Social Norms and Enforcement
Marriage is often defined in a variety of ways, but the simplest approach is identifying it as a legally recognized social contract between two people, implying a permanence of a union and traditionally based on a presence of a sexual relationship. Variations to this definition may encompass nuances of legal union (“common-law” marriage), whether polygamy is allowed, and same-sex marriages or other differentiations from “traditional” expectations of marriage.
Marriage and family are intertwining key structures in most societies. Family is a socially recognized group that is joined by either blood, marriage, or other legal means, that forms an emotional connection and serves as an economic unit in society (Little 2014). Traditionally, marriages resulted in the creation of a family unit, with children being the potential outcome, but even not, creation of a household. Both marriage and family are status roles that are sanctioned by society.
In the mid-20th century, the marriage rate was approximately 60 out of 1,000 people in Western countries. Currently, the rate of marriage is 6.5 per 1,000 people in the United States (CDC 2017). The concept of marriage was something that united all genders, races, and social classes, as more than 90% of Americans interviewed in 1980 expected to marry and potentially embark on parenthood. Marriage was a quintessential goal for most, and a social norm necessary to engage in aspects such as parenthood (The Economist 2017). The sentiment continues to the modern day but with significantly less social pressure as will be discussed later.
While historically, marriage was commonly written into law as a requirement for sexual relationships and parenthood, even in Western nations, this is no longer the case or not seriously enforced. Marriage is not a requirement legally nor are there societal practices in the West that strongly force marriage (such as arranged marriage practices of many Asian countries). If an individual does choose to engage in marriage, it must be overseen and registered through a government institution in accordance with laws of the local jurisdiction in order to be legally recognized by the state.
However, marriage is a complex institution that is often viewed through political, religious and cultural perspectives that have some relevancy and input to the direction that the institution is moving through policy or social influences. Marriage has been used and remains at the center of controversy as a tool used by political actors to stave off or promote social changes (Yamin 2012).
Elements of Change
The meaning and limits of marriage have become a topic of significant controversy socially and politically in modern Western democracies, particularly as the issue of same-sex marriage has dominated the political discourse. Aspects of a traditional marriage built on ‘family values’ have been strongly challenged as values of equality, choice and personal freedom have become central to the concept of a loving marriage. Meanwhile, traditional perspectives that a legitimate family and parenthood requires a union of a married man and woman have receded, allowing for gay parents to adopt or single-parent households to exist without condemnation.
The notion of this changing nature of marriage in the 21st century can be attributed to the theoretical lens of discursive institutionalism which suggests that political leaders have an ability to influence the institute of marriage through foreground discursive abilities or logic of communication without compromising ideational and conceptual integrity. The most prevalent example is the Barack Obama administration which has guided the institute of marriage to be widely accepting of gay marriage, not just legally but socially as well (Grube and van Acker 2016, 183).
Given the number of marginalized relationships such as LGBTQ+ groups, these individuals feel significantly unsure about the institute of marriage itself, while many ideological supporters may also find themselves critical of the social structure largely due to sociopolitical uncertainty and the constant flux of family policy that is ongoing throughout the United States (Monk and Ogolsky 2019, 244).
Marriage has evolved as an institution from being a socially organized element that was based on factors of financial considerations or to strengthen family connections or political advantage. It began to encompass aspects of romantic love and mutual support, identified with emotional security, companionship, and an ideal institution for raising children. In recent years, gender relations have changed as well where women are no longer strongly oppressed and differ significantly from historic times where a wife has virtually considered a husband’s property and denied many legal rights. Modern marriage provides equal rights to both partners as well as greater acceptance of sexual freedom with less concern about immoral values (Grube and van Acker 2016, 189).
On both sides of the Atlantic, the age of marriage has risen, and a large majority of young adults prefer unmarried cohabitation in the modern-day. The 21st century is seeing the deinstitutionalization of marriage in the West as cohabitation is no longer socially condemned and there is a rise in beliefs of relationships that do not depend on social recognition. Legally, cohabitation is getting almost equal legal recognition and benefits to marriage.
Meanwhile, significant events such as the birth of a child or purchasing a home no longer socially or legally require marriage. Therefore, marriage has become a largely symbolic structure, signifying long-term commitment and some evaluation of benefits of marriage over cohabitation. The practical importance of marriage has declined, and unmarried cohabitation is a standard element of the transition to adulthood (Billari and Liefbroer 2016, 184).
Conclusion
It is evident that marriage as an institution has evolved considerably, particularly in the 21st century. Shifting from a social exchange to becoming a traditional unit, it is now more of a preference and legality in Western culture rather than a necessity. There are greater freedoms to partner relationships and the dynamics of marriage focus more on mutual growth and support than a patriarchal foundation of centuries past. However, marriage for the large part is gradually losing its social value as a critical component of life and relationships as other models such as cohabitation are becoming prevalent.
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