Getting Married · Chapter
Male Economic Slavery and the Rights of Bachelors explained
Shaw argues that economic pressures force many talented men into prolonged bachelorhood, which in turn creates a demand for prostitution as a temporary substitute for marriage.
What happens
Shaw argues that economic pressures force many talented men into prolonged bachelorhood, which in turn creates a demand for prostitution as a temporary substitute for marriage. He contends that both prostitution and bachelordom will only disappear when women have access to honorable livelihoods and marriage reform allows easy dissolution of unsuitable unions.
Themes in this chapter
Economic Dependence of Women
Shaw notes that some bachelors marry women of property, reversing the usual economic dependence, but this is rare.
Sexuality and Impersonality
The chapter discusses prostitution as a cheap temporary substitute for marriage, driven by economic necessity.
Divorce and Legal Reform
Shaw advocates for marriage reform to allow easy dissolution of unions, which would reduce both prostitution and bachelordom.
Characters to notice
- The General
Referenced indirectly as part of the propertied class whose younger sons are raised in high expenditure households.
Key passages
“The number of men who cannot afford to marry is large enough to produce very serious social results; and the higher the work the man is doing, the more likely he is to find himself in this class until he has reached or passed middle age.”
Many men, especially those in demanding professions, are financially unable to marry until middle age, creating significant social consequences.
Highlights the economic barrier to marriage for talented men.
“A class of women must be found to protect the wives and daughters of the married by keeping company with the bachelor for hire for as long or as short time as the bachelor can afford, on the understanding that no claim is to be made on him after the hiring is ended.”
Society creates a class of women available for temporary, paid companionship with bachelors, with no ongoing obligations.
Describes prostitution as a functional institution within marriage morality.
“When every young woman has an honorable and comfortable livelihood open to her on reasonable terms, the streets will make no more recruits. When every young man can afford to marry, and marriage reform makes it easy to dissolve unions contracted by young and inexperienced people in the event of their turning out badly, both prostitution and bachelordom will die a natural death.”
If women have decent job opportunities and men can afford marriage, with easy divorce for failed unions, both prostitution and bachelorhood will disappear.
Shaw's proposed solution to the social problems of bachelorhood and prostitution.