AN ARGUMENT AGAINST NO-FAULT DIVORCE
P1. Allowing one spouse to divorce through no fault of the other spouse removes the norm and expectation of permanence from marriage
P2. No-fault divorce allows one spouse to divorce through no fault of the other spouse
C. Therefore no-fault divorce removes the norm and expectation of permanence from marriage
CONSERVATIVE COMMENTARY
This argument essentially claims that no-fault divorce changes the meaning of marriage from being for life, to being for love (which is not necessarily permanent). This has an impact on couples as noted by Patricia Morgan:
With no pressure to work at the relationship, it may seem easier to withdraw and start afresh rather than to repair what is already there and perhaps address difficult issues, with exponents of ‘no-fault’ appearing to agree. The grass often looks greener in the next field. Against this are the regrets of those who wished they had made more effort to sustain or repair their relationship. This is more likely to happen in the presence of restraints, not the removal of impediments. Perseverance through marital problems is predicated on marriage being permanent, and even in the midst of troubles, it is worth keeping.
https://archive.christianconcern.com/sites/default/files/Patricia_Morgan_No_Fault_Divorce.pdf
Removing the norm or expectation of permanence in marriage is devastating for our solution to the social problem that every society must solve.