Arranged marriage

Arranged marriage is a type of marital union where the bride and groom are primarily selected by individuals other than the couple themselves, particularly by family members such as the parents.

In contrast, arranged marriage involves familial or societal intervention in selecting a spouse for one or both individuals based on cultural, religious, or social considerations.

Arranged marriages may involve input from the prospective spouses, allowing them a degree of agency in the process, although within the framework of familial or societal expectations.

Thus, while both forced and arranged marriages involve external influences in partner selection, the pivotal disparity lies in the presence or absence of consent, underscoring the ethical and moral implications inherent in each practice.

In contrast, arranged marriage, when conducted ethically and with respect for the agency of the individuals involved, can offer a pathway to union that aligns with cultural and familial values while still honoring the importance of consent and personal choice.

They believe it offers protection and reduces the daughter's economic burden on the family due to how costly it is to feed, clothe and (optionally) educate a girl.

[39] The nations with the highest rates of arranged child marriages are: Niger, Chad, Mali, Bangladesh, Guinea, Central African Republic, Afghanistan, Yemen, India and Pakistan.

For example, in rural and tribal parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan, disputes, unpaid debts in default and crimes such as murder are settled by a council of village elders, called jirga.

[63] Arranged marriages across feudal lords, city states and kingdoms, as a means of establishing political alliances, trade and peace were common in human history.

For example, the fourth daughter of Maria Theresa, Archduchess of Austria and Queen of Hungary, Marie Antoinette, married the dauphin (crown prince) of France, who would become King Louis XVI.

In many cultures where arranged marriages are prevalent, considerations such as family status, wealth, social connections, and even political alliances may influence the selection of a spouse.

[67] Additionally, political factors outside the immediate family sphere, such as community dynamics or broader societal norms, can further shape the parameters of arranged marriages.

In societies where arranged marriages are deeply entrenched, governments may seek to regulate or promote such unions as a means of preserving cultural identity or social cohesion.

Conversely, movements advocating for individual rights and autonomy may challenge the practice of arranged marriages, framing it as an infringement on personal freedom and agency.

In essence, politics within arranged marriages encompass a multifaceted interplay of personal, familial, societal, and geopolitical factors, shaping the dynamics and outcomes of these unions in complex ways.

[68] The economic pressures, coupled with societal shifts towards individualism and career-focused lifestyles, have led to a declining interest in marriage and child-rearing among the younger generation in Japan.

Some parents are spooked at the thought of paying for their children to attend these events to make sure they can marry a higher-class citizen to have a better marriage and life together.

While the practice has evolved significantly over time, moving away from strictly familial arrangements towards a more relaxed way of getting to know one another and mutual consent, its presence in modern society continues.

This sort of arranged marriage, in theory, enabled the girl to escape poverty and the wealthy family to get free labor and a daughter-in-law.

According to Lodhia at Britannica, “In 1984…it was changed to specify that presents given to a bride or a groom at the time of a wedding are allowed.”[75] This correction to The Dowry Prohibition Act of 1961 made things more specific.

According to The Advocates For Human Rights, “The most common forms of dowry-related violence are physical violence, marital rape, acid attacks, and wife burning (where a woman is covered in kerosene or some other accelerant and deliberately set on fire).” [76] These violent attacks result from the bride's family not wanting to or being unable to pay a dowry that the groom's family has demanded.

The brother(s), father, and male relatives of the bride typically take keen interest in arranging her marriage to a man who is willing to pay the most wealth in exchange for the right to marry her.

Marriages generally follow short engagement periods, as strict church discipline, including excommunication, is applied to those who have premarital relations.

[89] Scholars often wonder if arranged marriages are more stable and suitable for raising children,[90] and question whether the married couple can still experience a loving, respectful relationship.

They suspect that some arranged marriages are born out of the intention to gift residency and European citizenship to immigrants who would otherwise be denied a visa to enter the country.

MP Ann Cryer has alleged examples of such abuse by West Asian Muslim families in her motion to the UK's House of Commons.

[96] Article 15 and 16 of The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) specifically cover marriage and family law, which support such a ban.

In contrast, preventing arranged marriages may harm many individuals who want to get married and can benefit from parental participation in finding and selecting a mate.

Parents, families, and friends provide an independent perspective when they participate in learning and evaluating the other person's history and behavior, as well as the couple's mutual compatibility.

Assuming the pool from which mates are screened and selected is large, Rosenfeld suggests that the differences between the two approaches to marriages are not as great as some imagine them to be.