People who are married are less likely to consider separation when problems arise. Marriage is more than just a 'bit of paper' - it is a public and highly visible symbol of a couple s determination to make their relationship work. The mere act of getting married reinforces the commitment which is needed to overcome the problems which occur in any relationship. The legal purpose of marriage Marriage evolved because we needed a clear set of rules governing key aspects of family life such as property ownership and responsibility for children. Giddens calls it a 'shell institution', but it is much more than that.
Marriage has a purpose.
For many centuries, the rules of marriage favoured men married women lost their property to their husbands, they could not get divorced, and children were the property of their fathers. Today, the rules have changed so much so that some divorced men in Australia now claim that the law is tilted too far in favour of women but modern families still need rules governing their members rights and responsibilities. The need for the legal institution of marriage is just as great today as it has ever been. We can see this in the fact that, while increasing numbers of couples have been refusing to get married, they have nevertheless been demanding that the same legal rights and responsibilities that apply to married couples should also apply to them. The result is that the distinction between married and de facto couples has been collapsing.