LINDSAY MITCHELL: Is there a relationship between marriage rates and welfare dependence?
- Administrator
- Jul 11
- 1 min read
With new data available from the 2023 census, it is possible to answer questions that contemporary policy makers seem disinterested in.
Earlier I posed the question, Who relies most heavily on welfare?
The following graph replicates ethnic benefit data and adds marriage data. Is there a relationship between marriage rates and welfare dependence? It would appear so.
Generally speaking, the higher the married portion of an ethnic group is, the lower the likelihood of relying on welfare, be it unemployment, sole parent or sickness benefits.
In New Zealand it is very unfashionable to praise marriage as an institution. Perhaps because marriage is viewed as patriarchal and Christian? On the other hand, marriages provide the stable and safe child-rearing economic units upon which successful societies are built. Marriage also requires commitment, which filters through to other aspects of people's lives.
And yet, overall, marriage rates are declining - a trend that does not bode well for the future.
Lindsay Mitchell blogs here
Ho hum.... and so it continues
Its not exactly rocket science to understand the philosophy of those whom trade behind a Cargo Cult.
Over three hundred odd years now of presenting freebies, and of those that receive them.
Though it is disappointing to witness after so many years down the track...( or heaven forbid a dozen or so more generations later) the now ever lasting philosophies behind the presentor and/or the presentee in the art of Cargo Culting have not altered.
Our modern society has now produced those virtuous souls among us that trade solely by giving a free lunch to those not doing what they are capable of and should be doing for themselves.
There are then a few…
The benefit system encourages this, as the family income of a couple is considered during eligibility testing for benefits
Thanks Lindsay, of course this makes perfect sense by way of causation. Jordan Peterson (& many others!) has/have produced plenty of arguments and statistics to support the notion that kids raised in a two parent family are significantly more likely to lead meaningful and productive lives. Welfare dependency is just one consequence of kids being raised in 'modern families', there are so many others. Sure, sometimes marriage does not work perfectly, but it should at the very least be something to aim for. (Btw. by marriage I am using the ancient concept of man marries woman. Plenty of good gay parents out there (women at least imho, not so much blokes), but talking best practice here.)
No fault "easy" divorce has been a disaster for our community.
That'll be uninterested.