> One reason the marriage rate may be is dropping is that it's become fairly disincentivized for men.
The business relationship is rather pointless, for both sexes, these days.
Marriage once existed so that, traditionally, the woman would stay at home to care for the household and children allowing the man to focus on his career. The idea being that the man would do better with help than he could all on his own, thus the woman sharing in the proceeds she helped create. This is why divorce defaults to splitting assets 50/50.
Now that men and women are much more apt to work independently – each working both in and out of the home – there is little need to solidify a legal partnership to protect the partner not collecting the income.
> Now that men and women are much more apt to work independently – each working both in and out of the home – there is little need to solidify a legal partnership to protect the partner not collecting the income.
This is often why (anecdotally speaking) I've seen many engagements occur when someone has an opportunity (job,grad school, etc.) outside of the present city they live in. One half of the couple is taking a professional risk (or even, outright sacrifice) by moving to stay with that person.
The business relationship is rather pointless, for both sexes, these days.
Marriage once existed so that, traditionally, the woman would stay at home to care for the household and children allowing the man to focus on his career. The idea being that the man would do better with help than he could all on his own, thus the woman sharing in the proceeds she helped create. This is why divorce defaults to splitting assets 50/50.
Now that men and women are much more apt to work independently – each working both in and out of the home – there is little need to solidify a legal partnership to protect the partner not collecting the income.