The Collapse of the Traditional American Family
by Star Parker, Creators.com:
The Joint Economic Committee of the U.S. Congress has just produced an important new study titled “The Demise of the Happy Two-Parent Home.”
The report exhaustively presents data showing the shocking collapse of marriage and traditional family in America and then explores possible explanations for why it has happened.
In 1962, 71% of women ages 15-44 were married. By 2019, this was down to 42%.
In 1962, 5% of women ages 30-34 had never been married. By 2019, this was up to 35%.
In the 1960s, less than 1% of couples living together were not married. Today, it is over 12%.
And the percentage of births to unmarried women has risen from 5% in 1960 to 40% in 2018.
In 1970, 85% of children lived with two parents. By 2019, this was down to 70%.
The relevant questions are: Why should the collapse of marriage in the United States concern us? And why is this happening?
Regarding the first question, it depends on your values. To the large but dwindling number of Americans who care about traditional biblical morality, the collapse of marriage and family, the openness to other lifestyles prohibited by biblical morality, is of concern. It is not a healthy sign about what is happening in our culture.
For those whose concerns are more secular, the collapse of marriage is of concern because the practical results are not good.
A large body of research exists showing the social benefits of traditional marriage and family, and the social costs of their collapse.
Related Posts
Tags
Share This
