Social Institutions

Social Institutions

Name

Institution

Social Institutions

Social institutions that have been in existence or along period evolve slowly. With marriage and family from mid 20th Century, things have been different from other social institutions (Pew Research Centre).This essay will discuss the trends in marriage. It will focus on whether the legal system should make the divorce procedures and cohabitation harder. It will also discuss what the U.S government should do to make families stronger, and what cultural changes people can do to make them strong.

In the 1970’s, family change was viewed from three approaches. The first approach was economically related. It was believed that a woman could support herself outside marriage. This is because women started being absorbed in various jobs and became active in the economic growth and made them stable. Secondly, it was assumed that creative divorce would not affect children but instead enrich their lives. The rate of their development would be improved. The crisis would not have adverse effects on them for a long time. The third assumption was that the new family structure diversification would improve America just like ethnic and racial groups’ diversification strengthens it (Whitehead 1993).

Divorce laws are not aimed at making it easy or difficult for people to get divorced. The purpose of divorce laws are to ensure that it is granted only when it is in the interest of the parties getting the divorced. It also aims at ensuring that the use of the institution of marriage to the society is not neglected by either granting or not granting the divorce. Consequently, laws that govern cohabitation before marriage are meant to safeguard the interest of individuals and the entire society. The culture of a society includes the rules and customs governing things like wedding, divorce, cohabitation and having children outside wedlock. These areas should be well governed to control them and hence, build a better society.