Should Governments support Marriage?

[Dave]

Some argue that marriage is one of the most important influences in stabilising family relationships, and that government should reflect the good that mariage and stable families bring to society by supporting marriage.

Others argue that it is entirely a private matter, and that the only role for government is to pick up the pieces when familes break up.

What do you think?

[Ted Pratt]

It should definitely be the role of Government to support marriage (a) because of the proven benefits of marriage both for couples in health, employment and longevity and for their children in education, health, keeping out of various problems, employment and having a successful marriage themselves - and (b) because of the enormous cost to the nation of marriage and relationship breakdown.

[clockwork orange]

I suspect that if some research were undertaken (and perhaps it has been) it would show something along the lines of the downward spiral of society being largely caused by the breakdown of the traditional family unit, in itself largely caused by a falling away from the moral values held in a Christian society.

/ducks for cover..../

[Ageing Grace]

/ducks for cover..../

Heh, Clockwork. I posted at the same time as you - next thread!

AG :p

[lisa3159]

Why should the government pick up the pieces if they weren't allowed to support the good that marriage does for stable family life in the first place? I think that the government should strongly support marriage and its benefits for our future generations!

[Raymond]

It's not so much that the government weren't allowed to support marriages. The fact is that in the UK the government has almost been against marriage judging by the tax structure and the laws they are now passing. I think they have been very blind as to the advantages of children growing up in a loving family and watched over by a loving mother.

My visits to Youth prison reveal that 98% of inmates had no workable relationship with a father.

Raymond

[chosen]

yes ther govt should support marriage financially if in no other way. By marriage I mean one man and one women legally married.Its so vital for the kids to have one parent around all the time in the early years.

[Wiggle]

I've been thinking about this in my current situation - who benefits, financially, from families / couples breaking up?

We go from one household, to two. That's an increase in council tax (allowing for the single inhabitant discount), an increase in energy bills (and the subsequent VAT), water bills, all VAT from the bits and pieces that have to be bought to furnish and then keep a second residence running, contents insurance, possibly an extra vehicle - in short, it could be argued that the government and the economy benefit in the short term financially from the break down of marriage (cynical? Moi?)

The longer term costs resulting from marriage breakdown - poorer health, increased stress placing extra strain on the NHS, problem children turning to crime and / or drugs etc are harder to quantify and therefore the benefits of marriage in helping to prevent the above are also hard to quantify. So whilst the financial benefits (to the gov) of marriage breakdown are obvious, the cost benefits of supporting marriage are not so obvious...

Now I hasten to add I am fully in support of marriage!

[john45]

i think the goverment should support marriages cause if you live in a good healthly marriage then peoples outlook on life is better that way it breads a better community

[Kimberley1967]

Didnt the husband used to get a better tax code and also when you purchased a house you could both get tax benefits many years ago. All of that is now out of the window. I dont think you get any benefits via the government any more for being married.

I know that when my ex husband and new wife were having a baby in the hospital the midwifes are not allowed to call them husband and wife and have to say partner so not to discriminate. Also they were the only married couple on the ward the rest of the ladies were single teenage mums or cohabiting couples.

[Raymond]

That was the Miras system Kimberley where you didn't have to pay any tax on your interest payment. This was cancelled maybe by Labour, I don't know.

As high as the divorce rate is with married couples it is much higher for co-habiting couples.

[getaffe]

I think the government should endorse some kind of eternal bond. I like to keep an open mind and like to think that many different types of ceremonies from all over the world have their validity. It is important for a kid to have a masculine and a feminine influence, but I don't want to argue about gay marriage here^^

[john45]

i agree with the bond idea