Discuss marriage as a social institution.
Discuss marriage as a social institution.
Significance of marriage as a social institution.
Discuss marriage as a social institution.
Significance of marriage as a social institution.
Marriage is an institution. The institution called marriage turns man and woman into husband and wife. It is through marriage that the relationship between man and woman becomes a family by gaining social legitimacy and recognition and approval. In other words, the marriage solemnized between husband and wife expresses the validity of their special relationship.
According to Molinowski, marriage is not only a license to have sex, it is actually a recognition of parentage.
According to philosopher Will Durant, marriage is not just a license for sexual relations, but a parent-child relationship whose social significance is to protect and strengthen the nation.
According to Anderson and Parker, marriage is a socially recognized permanent bond between one or more men and one or more women that authorizes sexual intercourse for the purpose of parenthood.
Kingsley Davies calls this legitimacy or recognition of the child as ‘’Principles of legitimacy.’’
According to Wester Mark, marriage is more than a regulated sexual act.
Thus, marriage is a social institution - which is universal, which places more importance on the formation and maintenance of a family and the fulfillment of social responsibilities and duties - etc.
Marriage as a Social Institution :-
Marriage is considered as the primary unit of family formation. Marriage, therefore, is a fundamental social institution. Marriage as a social institution has multiple roles present in society. For example –
1. The marriage system provides a healthy and specific way to satisfy the sexual needs of individuals. The satisfaction of sexual needs keeps the physical and mental development of the individual.
2. The marriage system eliminates the danger of sexual adultery and disorder in social life.
3. The family is the unit of society and the family is created by marriage. The bond between husband and wife and their families become legitimate and recognized by marriage.
4. The main purpose of marriage is to procreate by creating a family. By this the new born child gains his social legitimacy. By this the line of heredity continues.
5. Not only the birth of a child, but its proper rearing, education, socialization etc. requires the permanent union of child and parents - which is fixed by marriage.
6. Marriage is a special emotional bond between husband and wife. It is from this bond that the feelings of love - emotion - affection - sympathy - cooperation etc. are created between husband and wife and their children.
7. Marriage provides physical and emotional satisfaction to the individual as well as social and emotional security to both.
8. The marriage system gives a definite form to the relationship between man and woman in the larger social life.
9. In married life, an atmosphere of financial cooperation is created between husband and wife. Besides, marriage facilitates division of family labor based on gender.
10. In a patriarchal society a woman's identity is determined by the identity of her father or husband. A woman's social identity and social status in married life depend largely on whom she marries. That is, the role of marriage in determining the social identity of women at a certain age of marriage.
11. Marriage is not only the union of a man and a woman, it is the union of at least two families. Various kinship relationships are formed based on this. Thus the basis of social cohesion is strengthened.
12. One of the most important aspects of marriage in every religion is that it is a special religious ceremony. Moreover, the social importance of marriage is present in the practice of religion together by husband and wife. According to Gandhiji - Marriage is the fence that protects religion.
Thus, marriage between men and women can fulfill their social needs. The institution called marriage is maintaining the basic structure of the society and protecting the stability and progress of the society through mutual matching between husband and wife, child reproduction and upbringing, social responsibilities and duties. For all these reasons, sociologists call marriage a basic social institution.
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