It may be surprising but the United States does not have the highest divorce rate in the world. The highest divorce ratio of 71% of marriages is found in Belgium, according to the UN Demographics and Social Statistics Division. It indicates that the United States ranks tenth highest in comparison. In fact, divorce is on the decline according to the Census Bureau (records.com).
High Divorce Rates?
Moreover, the New York Times points out that in the 1970s and 1980s, the high divorce rate was more of a historical phenomenon than a popular trend (Wong, 2014). In fact, the rate of divorce today is not even at 50% and the steady decline has been for quite some time. Part of the current decline is the result of younger people waiting to marry. It seems that marriage is more attractive in their mid-twenties to late twenties and even older, in many cases. For example, young people fresh out of college feel that promoting their careers and placing high standards on their financial status, takes precedence. Marriage and family planning will come later is part of their mindset and strategy for a successful future.
What The Experts Say
Sociologists and their documented research have tried to ward off the common notion of a 50% and climbing divorce rate. However, the popular view remains steadfast as it seems to be fueled by media reporting and noted news-worthy program commentators. For instance, when news anchors cite poverty and poor education as the culprit for high divorce rates, they contribute to the ongoing myth. Unfortunately, society resonates the opinions that are often heard and repeated by seemingly prominent experts and reporters.
Facts vs. Myth
In contrast, “facts can replace myth” if the public begins to learn and understand the reasons why divorce rates have dropped. Besides “later marriages”, culture has played an important role in the changes that have taken place over the last decade or more. For example, statistics illustrate that couples who married prior to the feminist movement were ideally suited for each other after the postwar culture (Miller, 2014). However, times changed over the next few decades and marriages began to collapse due to those cultural changes. Today’s marriages are working better because people interact and marry according to the changes of a global society.
Why Marriages Are Working
Referring back to the foremost cause of a declining divorce rate of young people marrying later in life seems to indicate that marriages are more stable with education and a better financial status. Entering the equation are the number of people living together before marriage as well as the accepting of one-parent households. The available use of birth control and love marriages has also affected the decline. Even though the feminist revolution contributed and improved cultural changes for many, some people did not fully embrace it.
All in all, if this trend continues, about two-thirds of marriages will never see a divorce.
References
N.A. (2015). Countries with the highest divorce rates. Retrieved from www.records.com
Miller, C. (2014). These are the states with the most divorced residents. New York Times. Retrieved from www.nytimes.com
Wong, B. (2014). The truth about the divorce rate is surprisingly optimistic. Huffington Post. Retrieved from www.huffingtonpost.com
