Is Divorce Bad for the Economy?

Is Divorce Bad for the Economy?

A recent report from the Marriage and Religion Research Institute suggests divorce is bad for the U.S. economy because it “Marriage is a causal agent of economic growth. It constitutes one third to one fourth of the human capital contribution of household heads to macro-economic growth. The total contribution of human capital to growth of domestic product in turn is large, being of equal proportion to the other two contributing factors: size of the labor pool and physical capital.  Divorce removes this agent of economic growth.”  In other words, divorce negatively affects productivity, which in turn, places a burden on the U.S. economy.

Keep in mind, the Marriage and Religion Research Institute is a project of the Family Research Council, a conservative Christian-based organization.   The Marri Project has an interest in producing studies that suggest divorce has negative effects on individuals, the economy, etc.

Regardless of your religious or political affiliation, studies like this one can be interesting and informative.  Read the full report here.

Share this post