Those were the days when the two worst labels to be attached to a woman were either "spinster" or "divorcee". Now spinsters are swinging singles and live it up while divorcees get back to being single and willing to mingle! Escalating divorce rates is not an overnight phenomenon but a gradual result of a combination of factors. Divorce: A Result of Changing Times and Social Mores Modern times are fast paced and hectic.

Individuals want to live many lifetimes in this one. While marriage is still an important institution it is no longer considered the only way to co-habit or procreate. The average age for marriage is commonly on the rise. People with set patterns and beliefs do not really want to shake things around too much just to make a marriage work. If their foray into marriage fits into the scheme of things its fine, if not, divorce seems like the obvious choice before they carry on to their next destination. Extended families are less and less involved in marriage decisions and when things go wrong the two individuals decide the next course of action and do not necessarily seek advice from family.

Many couples choose not to have children today, one less reason to remain in a marriage gone wrong. Divorce: the Result of Liberation and Empowerment of Women? The modern woman is independent, free and powerful. She makes her own decisions, pays for her lifestyle and doesn't suffer unacceptable behaviour from a spouse.

With this new emancipation also comes low tolerance. A marriage that might have pulled along in the old days because of women sticking with it is no longer the case. A woman in an unhappy marriage sees no reason or has no financial need to stick on and clearly sees divorce as a preferred option. Also, with both the man and women pursuing their respective career paths there appears to be little time to work out issues and repair damaged relationships. Work demands take up so much time that many see it as less stressful to just get divorced and move on when there is fallout. I, Me, Myself and Divorce It is increasingly becoming an individualistic society.

The needs, desires and wants of an individual occupy too much time to consider another's similar feelings. The one universally accepted mantra to make a marriage work is compromise. With individuals unwilling to compromise on their own wants and needs, marriage suffers and often times results in divorce. With both parties working, there is the concept of "my money" and "your money" versus the old fashioned "our money". Things being the way they are, non-agreement on financial issues more often than not, leads to couples deciding to part and go their own ways. Relaxed Divorce Laws and Social Acceptance Makes Divorce Easier The heir to the British throne is divorced and married again.

That single telling statement gives one an idea of the phenomenon of divorce in the present day. It is not only more acceptable today but also the laws that make divorce enforceable are far more relaxed. People are no longer ostracized by society because they are divorced. In conventional societies and traditional homes, old-fashioned codes of conduct have given way to understanding the need of current lifestyles.

Divorce is no longer considered taboo or the worst thing that could happen to two people. The dynamics of living in the modern world have changed. Everyday, new versions of relationships are established and while marriage is important it is no longer the central theme. Given the new parameters of living together, divorce is an option that perhaps offers a new lease of life, a new beginning, and another adventure to pursue. While from an outside perspective, it might seems that couples these days are giving upon marriage far too easily, the reasons are not so simple. We lead lives that are far removed from previous generations, we deal with stress that was hitherto unheard of, and our very definition of lifestyle and how we live has changed.

Given this change, divorce can probably be seen as a rebellion against established rules that no longer suit the current climate. Divorce is perhaps a means to a different end.

James Walsh is a freelance writer and copy editor. If you want to find out more about a solicitor managed divorce see http://www.managed-divorce.co.uk