Marriage and the future of society

Inflation is on the rise. So are anxiety, labor shortages, depression, and federal revenue receipts. The anxiety is understandable. Loss of lives and liberties have led to a collective mourning that has many Americans grasping for some semblance of security. We’re living in troubling times.

A recent Pew report found that these economic and emotional burdens are often shouldered more heavily by single adults, particularly men. The survey discovered single men are nearly three times more likely to be financially vulnerable than men in relationships. A single man’s median earnings is $21,000 less than his partnered counterparts, and he is 18 percent less likely to be employed. Another report found that, “Compared to marriage, being single or being divorced/widowed were quite consistently associated with poorer mental well-being during the life course, especially among men.”

Although single women fare slightly better than their male counterparts, research found married women were likelier to earn more and have a college degree over single women.

These statistics are sobering. Yet, it does not negate the truth that many Americans, including no small number of Christians, will not marry, either by choice or circumstance. They should neither be sidelined nor resigned to some absurd second-class status. The New Testament honors the gift of celibacy.

But even if marriage isn’t the reality for all, there’s no denying the economic and quality of life benefits marriage adds to many individuals and their communities. The late philosopher Roger Scruton wrote, “We are needy creatures and our greatest need is for home; the place we find protection and love.” The Bible and the economic data say, “Amen.”

The economy and the family are so intricately woven together that opponents of free societies have long sought to undermine the institution of marriage in their quest to overthrow the economic ties that bind us to one another.

Capitalism’s greatest strength comes from stable relationships, both professionally and personally. The most consequential relationship many people will ever have is that of a spouse. This is one of the reasons radicals from Karl Marx to modern feminist theorist Sophie Lewis argue for the abolition of the family. If our interests are not generational or anchored to something—or someone—beyond ourselves, we are less likely to pass wealth on or build legacies that extend past our lifetime. In 1918, the former Soviet Union outlawed adoption but provided its citizens with free abortions, no fault divorce, and a large welfare state in its ideological crusade to shake off the ties between marriage and wealth creation.

Both the economy and Scripture affirm that marriage is a net gain for society. It is a declaration that God’s created order in Genesis 1 is good. It existed before mankind’s fall, borne out of the Creator’s desire for us to thrive in community with others. On the economic front, “Getting married and staying married for the long-term brings the opportunity for more financial security, provided that each spouse practices good family financial rules.”

A newly released survey from the Institute for Family Studies sought to understand how the Covid-19 pandemic impacted views on marriage. Researchers discovered that over the course of the pandemic, the desire to marry had its strongest gains among wealthier Americans, as did an interest in having children. This is worth studying, as the economic instability sparked by Covid-19—and spurred by federal and state government market interventions—created an uncertain financial climate. Do lower-income Americans increasingly believe marriage is out of reach for them?

The institution of marriage has sustained significant blows over the decades, and particularly throughout the pandemic. Some will blame thinkers like Marx for his pervasive and noxious materialism. Then there are those who fault the advent of no-fault divorce. Others point to the broadening of the definition of marriage to extend beyond one man and one woman. And still, some blame questionable poverty mitigation attempts, such as President Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society, for disincentivizing men to provide for their families.

Whatever someone perceives the root cause to be, the solution will be found in healthier private institutions and a robust economic climate that places marriage within reach for more Americans.

Marriage alone is no silver bullet, and the challenges an individual faces before saying “I do,” won’t suddenly disappear after the wedding ceremony. Yet, marriage is fundamental to any successful society and, for most people, matrimony is fundamental to quality of life and financial prospects. To that end, society and public policy would be wise to acknowledge the importance of marriage to economic and cultural recovery. Marriage is one of God’s divine value propositions, an invitation to create an economy—an oikonomia—in its most complete sense; a “place that is not just mine and yours, but ours.”