Reflections on Marriage and Family Beyond the Culture Wars

Although much attention has focused on same-sex marriage as an ominous destroyer of the traditional marriage and family structure, a more historical perspective suggests that the radical changes taking place in marriage and family structure in our culture are better understood as adaptations to social forces generated by a shifting economic base. This assertion is presented in three interlocking theses, and salient implications are discussed for the future of marriage and the family in the new economy.