Marriage soars in Singapore and declines in UK – why?

By Chris Reed

There were a record number of marriages in Singapore in 2011, yet a similar record decline in the UK. Why?

Singaporeans get married as if it was going out of fashion and this might be their last chance! There are many reasons for this.

If people got married in 2011 they may well have a Dragon baby. Yes as daft as that may sound, having a baby born in the Chinese Lunar Year of the Dragon, especially Water Dragon, the most powerful of the Zodiac signs means a lot to Chinese Singaporeans.

The other major reason why Singaporeans get married and got married in record numbers is housing. In Singapore the vast majority of housing is provided by the government, called HDB’s (Housing Development Board).

It’s the perfect mix of socialism and capitalism. The Singapore Government builds housing so that every citizen can have a house with running water. They are sold at very low prices and allow everyone to leave the family home and get a step on the property ladder.

However there are catches. You have to be married to get one before you’re 40. You can’t sell it or rent it out for many years. It’s the perfect way of giving something - freedom to leave home and become a homeowner while taking away something – freedom to leave the country.

Since the property market in Singapore is now one of the top five most expensive markets in the world if a couple can get married and get an HDB flat they can skip the property market hurdles. Then a in a few years they can sell it and move up the ladder and away from HDB.

People in the UK have no such reasons to get married. Despite the UK Government’s doomed promotion of marriage with nominal cash inducements which wouldn’t be enough to buy a cheap bunch of flowers, people in the UK realise that there is no reason to get married these days.

No financial reason, in fact the opposite. It may cost tens of thousands of dollars to get married but it will cost you more (especially if you’re a man) to get divorced…These days it’s not even romantic, people being forced to stay together because of a bit of paper? Give me a break, that’s so 1950’s.

For kids? When there are more kids now born out of wedlock in the UK there is no longer a stigma.

So why get married? Well if you’re a celebrity there’s the obvious Hello magazine lucrative selling rights and publicity for that new film/album/book/sponsor. And the same again for when you get divorced…apart from that why bother?

Chris Reed, Regional Partnerships Director - Asia Pacific, Partnership Marketing

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