Marriage and divorce: new tendencies and realities

Sergo Iakobidze, Doctor of Economics, Professor

The demographic condition of Georgia faces sharp worsening recently. In particular, the birth rate has dropped, especially in towns, migration level has increased.

The growth of human resources in the past 15 years is in direct proportion to the economic stagnation. The rate of the country’s development and the future of its economy clearly require a scientific study of this problem and an analysis of the existing tendencies. Marriage and divorce are becoming not only a social, but an economic problem as well. In the November issue of 2006 we presented you the material on the last century’s tendencies, and this time we offer Professor Sergo Iakobidze’s study concerning a disturbing situation in this sphere.
A natural striving of the human society is leaving of posterity and a complete meeting of material and cultural requirements. The former is achieved by the population of people, and the latter – by economic and cultural development. Contradictions existing between these strivings at the same time appear before us as coactive factors, since continuous renewal of life and a more complete meeting of requirements represent correlated processes1.
Physiological disposition of marriage itself gives rise to the striving for reproduction that after a number of years becomes slower and fades away. However, the power of this striving depends not only on a couple’s (a wife and a husband) physiological ability of reproduction. No less important role here is also played by moral, ethnic and psychological factors as well as material conditions in general. These factors have different effect in different situations, time and societies2.
The striving for reproduction in newly married families is sometimes so strong that it cannot even be slowed down by difficult economic conditions. In general, in many cases family planning – determination of the number of children begins after the first kid ` s birth. The birth rate is determined by the following factors: 1. the number of women of fertile age; 2. marriage frequency and 3. the number of births in the family.
The effect of the population’s well-being on fertility and birth rate has for a long time been a subject of study and discussion. Some researchers believe that economic well-being contributes to rising of the birth rate and strengthening of its intensity, while others maintain that material well-being is inversely proportional to the frequency of children’s births and that poor people bear and rear more children than rich ones.
In this connection, Adam Smith wrote: “Poverty always makes marriage impossible. As it can be seen, it also promotes reproduction… A half-starved woman from highland Scotland often gives birth to more than 20 children, while a well-to-do lady does not wish to bear even one and, usually, she is emaciated after two or three children”3.
The level of material well-being and education has a great effect on the modern population process – marriage, since these factors cause its delay. Numerous researches confirm that spreading of literacy and education in general, as well as urbanization, are in direct relation to decreasing of women’s fertility. Currently, almost all over the world, fertility of urban population is 30% less than that of rural one. As it is known, generally rural youth becomes involved in reproduction activity earlier than urban one, for which, besides reaching of a definite age, gaining of special knowledge is necessary. Unsettled housing problems in towns usually confine several kids having.4
Marriage, as a real demographic fact, is determined by demographic behavior that is conditioned on objective public reality, in which individual consciousness of a wife and a husband is formed. The solidity of latter depends on the level of their awareness of the latest phenomena.
Each society has some special norms concerning fertility, birth intervals, number of kids and family members, marriage age (of a bride and a bridegroom) and other variable demographic phenomena. Regardless of the kind of society, to some extent these norms always effecting on the process of the population’s reproduction.
According to the latest inquires of French statisticians and demographers, in the countries where people speak two or more languages and have various confessions (religious) selection of a spouse has acquired a great demographic, genetic, sociological, economic an political significance, since these factors have a profound effect on family formation. At the same time, people of various social and professional categories have different approaches to marriage. As it has already been said, the level of education influences on frequency of premarital fecundations, 9% of which fall on women having higher education and 17% on the ones that have no such education.5
Creation of a normal family is impossible without marriage. Therefore, in their works Georgian scientists paid much attention to the problems of reproduction of the population, creation of a family and upbringing of the new generation (children). Among them noteworthy are studies made by P. Gogichaishvili. He wrote: “Increasing of the population’s number and its reproduction bearing a great national importance besides the economic one, especially for such a small nation as ours. At the same time,.. a family has another aspect that is very important for the whole society and nation. That is rearing of children – the sphere in private family life in which a family man can wittingly bring a visible benefit to his nation and be considered as an acknowledged public figure”.
“Marriage satisfies a person’s strong physiological need, contributes to strengthening of health, moral fiber, improvement of biological and social life, reproduces the population, provides the society with always new elements that replace the old ones, starts action, work, renews old life, makes cultural success and gives national power and significance to small nations like ours. Therefore, a logical conclusion arises from all the aforesaid… Each person that fulfills this social organization function, has a family, acquires a wife and children is considered by us as a person necessary and useful person for the society”6.
Prominent sociologist, Professor Talcott Parsons (USA) considers family and marriage as one of differentiated sub-systems of the society. A small group – “nucleus family” is an independent and simple social system, and its special significance as a person’s socialization and stabilization cell is expressed in it. The scientist draws a conclusion that “the reason for breaking-up of a modern bourgeois family consists in low incomes, bad housing conditions and, maybe it is the most important factor, in deficit of mutual respect in the family, which is often caused by a low social status of the father and lack of his profession’s prestigiousness”.
Action that is opposite to marriage is divorce, frequency of which in different situations is characterized by various peculiarities. In this process, along with social-economic factors, important role is played by the spouses age, duration of the marriage, kids number etc. Legal norms of marriage, which may considerably vary not only in different countries but within the same country as well, are also very important. We can draw the data from different US states as an example, where marriage and divorce are registered in a very simple way and, as a result, the corresponding indicators differ considerably. According to the data of 1960, if on average in the whole of the country 8,5 marriages fell on 1000 residents, in Nevada this indicator exceeded 208. Also, if on average in the whole of the country 2,2 cases of divorce were observed, the corresponding indicator in Nevada made up 27,6.
Important changes are also taking place in the natural motion of Georgia’s population. In 2004, as compared to 1980, the number of marriages in Georgia dropped by almost 3,5 times (from 50,5 thousand to 14,9 thousand), while on the basis of calculation per 1000 people this indicator decreased by 3 times, though in 2004, in comparison with 2003, it rose by 2,2 thousand units, while on the basis of calculation per 1000 people – by 0,1 pro mil and the number of newborn babies rose by 2,5 thousand. (See Chart 1).
It can be seen from the data of the general census of Georgia’s population held in 2002 that during the period between the last two censuses (1989-2002) the number of married people per 1000 men and women at the age of 15 and older has decreased. At the same time, the number of unmarried people has risen, which is explained by a difficult social and economic situation in the country. Noteworthy is the fact that among the population at the age of 15 and older only 60,4% are married, almost 11,0% have never been married, 25,5% are widows and widowers, 3,1% are divorced, 103,4 thousand – 0,1% have not given answers concerning their marital status. (See Chart 2).
Very interesting tendencies were revealed in studying of the situation with marriages and divorces among the urban and rural population at the age of 15 and older as well as in gender aspect. 51,1% of the total number of men live in towns, and 48,9% – in the country, and as to women – 54,2 and 45,8 respectively. 63,4% of men living in towns and 65,9% of men living in the country are married. 56,8% of the total number of women are married, including 53,7% of those living in towns and 60,5% living in the country. Noteworthy is the fact that 30,0% of men at the age of 15 and older have never been married, including 31,3% of those living in towns and 28,7% living in the country. 22,7% of women are unmarried, including 24,1% of those living in towns and 18,9% living in the country.
There are important changes in the marital status of the resident population. If, in accordance with the census of 1989, 699 married men fell on 1000 ones at the age of 16 and older permanently residing in the country, the corresponding indicator of 2002 made up 662 men, i.e. it has decreased by 37 men. The corresponding indicator among women makes up 609 and 579 ones, i.e. 30 women less. During the same years the number of married people at the age of 16-29 correspondingly made up 335 and 24,7 men, i.e. 88 men less, and 522 and 429 women, i.e. 93 less. (See Chart 3).
The share of unmarried people sharply differs in accordance with age groups. 37,4% of the population at the age of 15-19 have never been married, at the age of 20-29 – 37,8%, at the age of 30-39 – 12,5%, at the age of 40-49 – 5,7%, at the age of 50-59 – 2,5%, at the age of 60-69 – 2,3% and at the age of 70 and older – 1,8%. 25.5% of the total population at the age 15 and older are unmarried: correspondingly, men make up 54,1%, and women – 45,9%. As to married people, their share among the adult population makes up 60,4%, and 1,2% of them falls on the first age group (15-19 years old), 13,8% – on the second one (20-29 years old), 22,7% – on the third one (30-39 years old), 24,6% – on the fourth one (40-49 years old), 15,02% – on the fifth one (50-59 years old), 15,3% – on the sixth group (60-69 years old), and 7,4% – on the seventh group (70 years old and older). The share of men in the total number of married people makes up 49,5%, and that of women – 50,7%.
The share of divorced people in the total number of adult population makes up 3,0%, including among men – 1,7%. In towns this indicator makes up 2%, and in the country it makes up1,4%. 4,1% of women are divorced. In towns the divorce indicator makes up 5,7%, and in the country it does not exceed 2,3%. It should be mentioned that the share of divorced people in the age group of 15-19 years old does not exceed 0,6%. Their share in the following age groups is gradually increasing, and among the population at the age of 40-49 it makes up 27,4%. Then, with growing of the age, this indicator is decreasing again and in the age group of 70 years old and older it makes up 6,6%. Among divorced people 26,0% fall on men and 74,0% – on women. (See Chart 4).
The number of widowed people is rather large. By 2002 the share of widowed people in the total number of population made up almost 11,0%. The number of widowed people at the age of 15-19 is very insignificant (165 people). In the following age groups their number is gradually increasing. For instance, at the age of 20-29 their number makes up almost 1%, at the age of 30-39 – 3,6%, at the age of 40-49 – 8,4%, at the age 49-50 – 11,8%, at the age of 60-69 – 28,6% and at the age of 70 and older – 46,7%. Here it should be mentioned that according to the data of the last census, the number of widowed people in Georgia made up 379,6 thousand, 15,0% of whom are men and 85,0% – women. Among men 3,6% remained widowers, out of those living in towns – 3,2%, and out of those living in the country – 3,9%. Correspondingly, among women – 17,3%, including those living in towns – 16,4% and those living in the country – 18,3%.
The average age of first entering into a marriage is rather high among both men and women. In particular, as for men, in 1980 this indicator made up 28,8 years and as for women – 26,1 years. In some years the corresponding indicator was undergoing certain changes. The lowest marriage age of men – 25,5 years was fixed in 1991-1993, while the highest one – 29,5 years – in 2003. A low marriage age among women – 23,3-23,4 years was observed in 1991-1993, while a high one – 26,1 years – in 1980 and 25,5 years – in 2003.
Quite a negative tendency is observed as far as the number of children registered out of wedlock is concerned: starting from 1980 both their total number and their share in the total number of newborn children has been increasing. If in 1980 4199 newborn children were born in Georgia out of wedlock, which made up only 4,7% of the total number of born children, by 1985 this indicator reached 10281 and 10,5% respectively, and 1990 – 16903 and 18,2%, though in the following years – 1991-1993, in view of the well-known reasons, the total number of born children decreased, but the growth in the number of children born out of wedlock did not slow down and, according to the data of 2003, their number reached 20,6 thousand, i.e. 44,6% of the total number of newborn children. It should be said that in 2002 both their total number and specific share were still higher. (See Chart 5).
In our opinion, it is necessary that the shaped situation should be in proper time adjusted by the country’s higher echelons of power so that the matter of marriage registration should be rigorously implemented and the future generation should not have difficulties in settling of various aspects of life.
Thus, we can draw a conclusion that very thorny and profound processes are taking place in the natural motion of Georgia’s population and that their integrated study and elaboration of appropriate measures are necessary with the purpose of improving of the demographic situation in the country.