“Probably just fewer people getting married to start with.”

“oh jeez.
try this, Dave:
http://tinyurl.com/crty9v9”

“Agreed, fewer people getting married, particulerly when so many people see it as an excuse to spend exhorbitant amounts of money they can't afford on a showcase event designed to impress others, instead of it being about the real concept of marriage.”

“Sadly my missus was not one of the 42 per cent !”

“For too long marriage was either how a woman got a pension or simply the default condition of two people who wanted to be together. Now society has grown up just a little bit, women earn their own pensions and people can choose whether to commit to a lifetime together (seriously who at 20 can do that?) or simply work at a relationship together for the forseeable future (far more realistic). The divorce rate was lower 100 years ago because it was social and financial suicide for a woman to leave her husband. Not because being together was better then, or more worth fighting for. He effectively owned her.

Now more people are making adult choices not childish 'princess for a day' choices. So the marriages that are made are bound to be longer-lasting.”