Historically, marriage has been part of western society in almost every culture. Marriage is an evolving social invention, whereby unionizing two people into a sexual, emotional and economical partnership. The health of marriage is crucial in a democratic society, in which it is the citizen’s duty to govern their own behaviour and to take the responsibility in raising their child properly in order to provide stability. Marriage plays an essential role in humanity by encouraging the common good in society, providing a social educator for children and increasing social capital. Marriage is associated with a number of positive outcomes in society such as, social and economic benefits. Marriage is a fundamental building block to creating a healthy…show more content… “According to the Census Bureau, in 2010 the median net worth for a married couple between the ages of 55 and 64 was $261,405. In comparison to $71,428 for a single man heading a household, and $39,043 for a single woman heading a household” (Linn, 2013). This shows that people who are married are more likely to have a better economic standing, thus a higher standard of living, compared to those that are divorced, single or cohabiting. Interestingly enough, Jay Zagorsky, a research scientist claims that there is a greater economic advantage to married couples than those who are romantically cohabiting (Linn, 2013). Using Conflict theory, a married couple has the power to divide household duties between each partner, while working long hours towards their next promotion. A single earner may not have this luxury of multitasking. As a result, they have the advantage of saving more money for their retirement needs in the future, while earning wages to meet their basic needs and desires as consumers in society. Furthermore, marriage acts as an institution to help fight off poverty. Reported by Canadian researchers, “Finnie and Sweetman found that entering marriage increases the prospect of a lone mother leaving poverty within a year from 29 percent to 84 percent” (P. Mitchell). Conflict theory suggests that when a couple gets married they gain more financial power by sharing two incomes that can enhance their standard of living since there is financial sharing between paying the bills, rent, and other necessities. A married couple can have the opportunity of sharing life insurance with each other; however a cohabiting couple may need to buy separate insurances. Single people may find it harder to gain financial power if they do not have a stable income or job. Hence, Married people are less likely to be a burden to society
