Do Arranged Marriages have Higher Divorce Rates than Marriages based on Love

Do arranged marriages have higher divorce rates than marriages based on love

Research suggests that arranged marriages tend to have lower divorce rates than marriages based on love. In the United States, for instance, the divorce rate is around 40-50%, whereas arranged marriages are estimated to be around 4%.

There are a few reasons why this might be:

• Compatibility: Sometimes arranged marriages consider factors like family background, education, and values in compatibility. This can provide a strong foundation for the relationship.
• Social Pressure: In some cultures, there can be social pressure to stay married, even if the couple isn’t happy. This can influence people to work through problems rather than divorce.
• Different Expectations: People entering arranged marriages may have different expectations about love and romance than those in love marriages. They may be more focused on building a life together rather than passionate feelings.

It’s important to note that these are just generalizations. There are many happy love marriages and unhappy arranged marriages. Also, the concept of an arranged marriage can vary. In some cases, the couple may have no say, while in others, they may have a veto power or meet with potential spouses beforehand.

• How Love Conquered Marriage: Theory and Evidence on the Disappearance of Arranged Marriages (University of California, Merced) by Evelyn Lehrer: This study explores arranged marriages through an economic lens, suggesting they provided a form of “informal insurance” in the past. The research shows a rise in divorce rates in some countries with arranged marriages as economic conditions improved. This challenges the idea that arranged marriages inherently lead to lower divorce rates.
• Are Arranged Marriages More or Less Likely to End in Divorce? (Goostree Law Group): This article cites research suggesting a global divorce rate of 6% for arranged marriages, significantly lower than non-arranged marriages. It highlights factors like compatibility matching and emphasis on family commitment in arranged marriages as potential reasons for lower divorce rates.

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