I’ve begun to question the benefit to government-sanctioned marriages. Not just for those who don’t want one, or those who aren’t allowed one, but even for those who fit the criteria and want it, there seems no sensible purpose to it in the modern world. A religious-sanctioned marriage makes perfect sense for those who want it. But a government-sanctioned one seems to be giving the government some sort of mystical power to bless (and often dissolve) a relationship.
I understand the original purpose, when women were chattel and men needed an heir, but surely that’s changed for most people. Even for those who still see things that way, I don’t want the government sanctioning such an unhealthy relationship in the 21st century. Again, marriage, perfectly fine; it’s just not a government thing.
Basically, from a government standpoint marriage is a shared power of attorney with shared assets and debt. Surely such a document could be made available to everyone who wants it, possibly include some simple opt-ins and opt-outs for those who’d prefer not to commingle all their assets. For the more complicated arrangements there’d still be lawyers and priests.
Leave a comment if I’ve missed anything.