A groundbreaking look at the most basic and universal of all
human institutions, this authoritative and provocative book
reveals the benefits-emotional, physical, economic, and
sexual-that marriage brings to individuals and society as a
whole.
Everyone knows that we are experiencing an
epidemic of divorce; rates of single-parenthood and
unmarried cohabitation are skyrocketing while marriage rates
continue to decline. Yet 93% of Americans still say they
hope to form a lasting and happy union with one person,
though fewer now believe that this is
possible.
Numerous books have been written about the
impact of divorce on men, women, children, and society at
large. But no one has yet studied the long-term benefits of
being and staying married. The Case for Marriage is a
critically important intervention in the national debate
about the future of the family. Based on the authoritative
research of family sociologist Linda Waite and other
scholars, the book's findings dramatically contradict the
anti-marriage myths that have become the common sense of
most Americans. Today a broad consensus holds
that marriage is a bad deal for women, that divorce is
better for children when parents are unhappy, and that
marriage is essentially a private choice, not a public
institution. Waite and Gallagher flatly contradict these
assumptions, arguing instead that by a broad range of
indices, being married is actually better for you
physically, materially, and spiritually than being single or
divorced. Married people live longer, have better health,
earn more money and accumulate more wealth, feel more
fulfilled in their lives, enjoy more satisfying sexual
relationships, and have happier and more successful children
than those who remain single, cohabit, or get divorced.
Statistics show, for example, that violence is less
prevalent in married households and that divorce reduces
male life expectancy on the order of a pack-a-day cigarette
habit.
While their book is not primarily a work of
moral exhortation, the authors argue that in order for
marriage to do its beneficial work it must be treated as a
socially preferred option, not merely one choice among
others that are equally valid. Combining clearheaded
analysis, penetrating cultural criticism, and practical
advice for strengthening the institution of marriage, the
authors provide clear, essential guidelines for
reestablishing marriage as the foundation for a healthy and
happy society.
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