ABSTRACT
A substantial area of understanding of which the peoples can be quite sure – without at all believing the explanations within it to be complete - is that very considerable area covered by changes in the law relating to marital breakdown and the statistics recording the facts and trends of such breakdown. A wide range of quite definite facts has therefore been reliably identified, all of which, taken together, quite clearly and fully illuminate this one very specific and substantial element of causation: the transformed position of women in society. Coupled with the extended availability of divorce to all social classes, and the availability of financial support and other provisions of social security to one-parent families and to couples cohabiting or maintaining some relationship of joint care for their children.
