Marriage would work without the state in the family. I'm going to write about it tomorrow though since now I am doing my homework.

TFB- interesting points to consider!

I think I will just sit back and read the responses rather than comment this time.

I have wondered what you are wondering....and I do not have any answers.

Quote from RebelliousVanilla

Marriage would work without the state in the family.

I agree with you. Marriage is a part of culture, of humanity, I don't need a legal contract for me to keep my promise.

Quote from Trauma Fried Brains

Marriage or Parenthood?
(By marriage I mean any hetro cohabiting couple on an intention of permanency)
.../...
Relationships would be whatever that society does by its standards, but parenting could be a separate cultural concept altogether. Has anybody got any thoughts on what such an institution could be?

What would be the nature of its commitment?

Would there be legal enforcements?

Would there be financial incentives for the proper application of parenthood?

Would there be financial penalties for breaches of parenthood?

Should there be qualifications for things like child mental and emotional development etc?

Should there be any difference in the emotional connections of parents and child?

What do we do if we can’t get an acceptable level of reliable marriage in our cultures to honour our responsibility to children?

I think there already is something, though it does not hold any legal power. It is more of a cultural institution. Marriage has always been, and in many places still is, a cultural institution. The western view of marriage has changed from one that is centered on the family and community to a financially binding legal partnership. Like buying a sex slave yet the slave can at anytime legally take everything you have and become a free person. Oh, yes, very attractive.

In America, there is this thing in which two (I'll stick with two for now) consenting people come into a permanent contract with each other. It is not legally binding, and both people know this, but they view it as if it were, if not as if it were even stronger. It is not the not the contract that binds them so much as the commitment that they have. Just like a fulcrum is most stable with all the weight on one side, so too is the relationship most stable with all of the responsibility and authority on one side.

The responsibility is excepted by both. "It takes two to tango" as the saying goes. The consequences of having children is understood beforehand and is a contentious decision. There would be no broken homes as their would be no separation of the family, it is a permanent relationship.

Sounds good right? Well, what is it? It is the relationship between a master and Gregorian slave.