When we consider the conditions enumerated above, it requires no further proof to recognize that a growing number of persons do not regard the wedded state as a desirable goal, but hesitate to enter into it. This explains the phenomenon, that in most civilized countries the marriage rate is stationary or declining. It was a matter of old experience, that an increase in the price of grain had a detrimental effect on both the marriage and birth rates. With the growing industrial development of any country the marriage and birth rates are influenced more and more by the ups and downs of the market. Economic crises and a lowering of the general economic standard have a lasting unfavorable influence. This may be seen from the marriage statistics of various countries. According to the latest census, 12,832,044 marriages were contracted in the United States during the period from 1887 to 1906.
1887 483,096 1891 562,412 1892 577,870 1893 ~578,673~ 1894 ~566,161~ 1902 746,733 1903 786,132 1904 ~781,145~ 1905 804,787 1906 853,232
These figures show that as a result of the crises during 1893 and 1894, the marriage rate declined by 12,512. The same phenomenon recurs in 1904, during which year the marriage rate declined by 4987. The following table shows marriage statistics gathered in France:
1873–1877 299,000 1878–1882 281,000 1883–1887 284,000 1888–1892 279,000 1893–1897 288,000 1898–1902 296,000 1903–1907 306,000
The marriage rate attained its highest figure, 321,238, during the year 1873. From that time on the marriage rate declined only to increase again with times of prosperity. In France the highest marriage rate since 1873 was attained in 1907 when it reached 314,903. To some extent this increase was due to a new law that went into effect on June 21, 1907, by which the legal formalities required in order to become married were simplified. This increase was especially noticeable in the poorer districts. The following table shows the number of marriages contracted for every thousand inhabitants in various European countries:
========================================================================= 1871 1876 1881 1886 1891 1896 1901 COUNTRIES to to to to to to to 1907 1875 1880 1885 1890 1895 1900 1905 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- German Empire 18.84 15.68 15.40 15.68 15.88 17.83 16 16.2 Prussia 18.88 15.86 15.92 16.32 16.40 16.86 16.2 16.4 Bavaria 18.92 14.65 13.64 13.96 14.76 16.09 15.2 15.4 Saxony 19.96 17.70 17.62 18.64 17.52 18.76 16.6 16.8 Austria 18.30 15.52 15.88 15.40 15.76 16.04 15.8 15.8 Hungary 21.51 19.30 20.24 17.72 17.92 16.05 17.2 19.6 Italy 15.54 15.06 14.08 17.64 14.96 14.40 14.8 15.4 Switzerland 16.06 14.90 13.80 14.00 14.72 15.59 15 15.6 France 16.06 15.16 15.04 14.48 14.90 15.14 15.2 16 England and Wales 17.08 15.34 15.14 14.70 15.16 16.14 15.6 15.8 Scotland 14.98 11.76 13.76 18.02 13.68 14.94 14 14 Ireland 9.72 9.04 8.66 8.66 9.48 9.87 10.4 10.2 Belgium 15.44 13.94 13.94 14.34 15.24 16.45 16.2 16.2 Netherlands 16.64 15.76 14.28 14.04 14.48 14.88 15 15.2 Denmark 15.88 15.54 15.38 13.94 13.84 14.79 14.4 15.2 Norway 14.58 14.40 13.82 12.76 12.92 13.73 12.4 11.8 Sweden 14.04 13.20 12.84 12.20 11.45 12.04 11.8 12 Finland 17.68 15.72 14.90 14.40 12.98 15.34 13 13.6 European Russia excl. the Vistula province 19.62 17.62 18.06 17.94 17.08 17.80 -- -- Bulgaria -- -- 18.04 17.24 16.07 -- -- -- Servia 22.80 23.32 22.14 21.76 19.84 -- -- -- -------------------------------------------------------------------------