Data from “Regional Analysis of Divorce in China since 1980”, Demography, Vol. 37, No. 2. (May, 2000), pp. 215-219 and Xinhua News Agency, May 24, 2007.
Like many Western nations, divorce rates have been rising over the past few decades. There seems to be a relation between the creation of the “New Marriage Law” in 1981 and the increase of divorces within the country. The “New Marriage Law” seemed to pay greater attention to the emotional part of a marriage and made divorce more acceptable and available for various groups within the population. There seem to be a various number of reasons that China’s divorce rate has been increasing throughout the years; cultural acceptance of divorce, greater women’s rights, and an increase in two-parent working homes.
China’s divorce rate is 57th worldwide. This is low compared to the United States’ ranking, however, there is still a steady increase in China’s divorce rate. Since many western countries suffer from higher divorce rates, could this be a symbol of China’s potential westernization? Or, perhaps, is it just part of the modernization of their nation’s economy and culture? Is divorce a symbol of cultural modernity?
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