Should marriage be a "legal default" for couples with children?
Should unmarried couples with children be automatically married by law? This may seem like a ridiculous proposition at first glance, yet a UK professor and former government health adviser in England wants it to become a law in the UK. In April 2009, Professor Julian Le Grand proposed automatic marriage for parents during a lecture he gave to the Foundation for Law, Justice and Society, a think tank associated with Oxford University. he said that marriage should be the "legal default" for parents as soon as a birth is registered. If automatically married parents later wanted to separate they would be required to get a divorce just like any other married couple. This proposed law would be intended to encourage parents to stay together for the well-being of their children.
My son Aaron, nineteen years ago...
Contents
- Here's the news about the automatic marriage for parents controversy.
- What exactly, is marriage?
- What is your opinion on forced automatic marriage for parents?
- Complications to consider, should this ever become a law...
- Who is Professor Julian Le Grand?
- Other laws and/or policies suggested by Professor Julian Le Grand.
- Julian Le Grand's comments on free choice (in general)
- The Opposition
- Related links...
Here's the news about the automatic marriage for parents controversy.
- Couples with children outside wedlock 'should be married by the State' - London Telegraph
- Couples who have children outside wedlock should be automatically married by the State to discourage them from splitting up, a key government adviser is proposing.
- I now pronounce you man and wife - whether you like it or not!
- Henry Porter: With blatant disregard for liberty, Julian Le Grand thinks unmarried couples with children should be automatically wed by the state.
What exactly, is marriage?
What is the exact definition of marriage?
Marriage refers to a social institution by which two people (usually a man and woman) declare their intention to live together as partners (husband and wife). This implies a legal commitment and is usually entered into with a religious or judicial ceremony. With Professor Le Grand's law, a marriage could be entered into by conceiving a child!
What is your opinion on forced automatic marriage for parents?
Should new parents be automatically married if they have a child together?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byThis is a great idea and will help families stay together.
This violates the rights of parents to remain single.
KimGiancaterino says:
Sounds good in theory, but the government is already interfering too much in our personal lives.
Posted May 30, 2009
cappuccino136 says:
I believe that children need two parents and ideally they should be married. I cannot support this method. It will not create happy and healthy families. I agree with the problems and complications that others have already pointed out.
Posted May 08, 2009
kab says:
I think the ideal is that two parents raise a child, but it is not ideal that they are married by default. Too many problems would arise: the case of rape, father unknown, woman already in relationship with another man willing to take responsibility, abusive relationships, etc.
It would lead to people having children outside of hospitals, dirty abortions, listing father as unknown leaving children to never know.
Any law that leads to secrecy is never a good one.
Posted May 03, 2009
LindaJM says:
My opinion is that marriage is never necessary unless it is something parents want to do to follow their religious customs. Why should government be involved in marriage at all? I think it got started because someone thought up the idea of charging money for marriage licenses. This idea for automatic marriage is terrible... but lawyers would love it probably - because they'd get money from people needing legal divorces! People don't stay together because they are married these days... they are more likely to stay together because they love each other. Instead of this law why not provide classes on love and marriage in high school, hopefully before babies are conceived?
Posted May 03, 2009
And baby makes three...
Complications to consider, should this ever become a law...
What to do when the mother isn't sure who the father is.
What to do if one of the parents is already married to someone else.
What to do if one of the parents has babies with multiple partners.
Should there be an opt-out clause for people who oppose the concept of marriage?
Who is Professor Julian Le Grand?
Julian Le Grand is a professor at the London School of Economics. He is the head of Health England and former Downing Street health adviser to Tony Blair.
Other laws and/or policies suggested by Professor Julian Le Grand.
Le Grand's philosophy is described as "Libertarian Paternalism" - meaning that he apparently believes the government should force people to do whatever it decides is in their best interest. Here I list some other laws he's suggested.
Separate supermarket checkouts for alcohol to discourage drinking.
Smokers should be forced to buy permits before they can buy cigarettes.
Companies should be required to organize an exercise hour so staff will stay in shape.
This one is now UK law: Baby bonds, aka. "Child Trust Funds," so children will have savings accounts when they are eighteen. This is encouraged by tax-free savings and government bonuses.
Julian Le Grand's comments on free choice (in general)
Books by Julian Le Grand
...most of these are on Kindle
Babies need to be sheltered in the love of two committed and dedicated parents, married or not.
The Opposition
Ann Widdecombe is a British Conservative Party member and a member of Parliament for Maidstone and The Weald, and a Privy Counsellor. She belongs to the Conservative Christian Fellowship and supports traditional family values.
Miss Widdecombe did not appreciate Julian Le Grand's idea for forcing parents to marry.
According to a news report she said, "If two people want to have a child outside wedlock and the state comes along and says 'we will marry you anyway', all you will get is that men won't accept paternity of children. It is ludicrous, it would be the final nail in the coffin of marriage."
Who is Ann Widdecombe?
Making marriage work
The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work
Amazon Price: $14.40 (as of 01/07/2010)
If parents are forced into marriage at the birth of their first child, they will need a handy manual like this one!
Related links...
- Julian Le Grand
- Julian Le Grand's Wikipedia page.
- Articles written by 'Julian Le Grand' for Prospect Magazine
- Articles, essays and features by Julian Le Grand from Prospect Magazine.
- Julian Le Grand, "Champion of Choice"
- Perhaps this was before he thought of forcing marriage on unmarried parents?
- The Foundation for Law, Justice and Society
- The Foundation for Law, Justice and Society is an independent institution affiliated with Oxford University. This is where Julian Le Grand introduced his idea for automatic marriage for unmarried parents.
Love songs
Here are some songs to put us in the mood for thinking about the love between mother and father.
Your comments are welcome!
Thanks for coming by to read my lens. Let me know what you think of Julian Le Grand's proposal for automatic marriage for parents...
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Reply
- KimGiancaterino KimGiancaterino May 30, 2009 @ 9:49 pm
- Great topic for debate... I am always for LESS government intervention and control.
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Reply
- cappuccino136 cappuccino136 May 8, 2009 @ 3:53 pm
- Excellent debate. Families are extremely important to our society and we need to do what we can to support and help families. However, this policy would not help.
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Reply
- tandemonimom tandemonimom May 3, 2009 @ 11:38 am
- While I agree that every child deserves two loving parents, this is possibly the worst way to bring about that outcome possible. And I can't help wondering about single women who choose artificial insemination: to whom would they automatically be wed? 5* for a great debate lens!
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