The numbers don’t lie, but they do tell a tragic tale – one of eroding values, crumbling family structures, and a society that has mistaken progress for moral decay. Look at the pattern: as literacy rates soar, so do divorce rates. The so-called enlightened nations, boasting near-universal literacy, also happen to be world champions in marital breakdowns. What does that say about the relationship between education and commitment?
The table ‘Divorce rate and Literacy’ originate from a Facebook post by ‘Neeche Se Topper’. The post presents a table comparing divorce rates and literacy levels across different countries, highlighting a stark correlation: nations with the highest literacy rates tend to have the highest divorce rates. Countries such as the United States, Sweden, and Russia – where literacy stands at a near-perfect 99% – also lead the world in divorce rates, with figures soaring above 50% in many cases. Meanwhile, nations like India, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam, with comparatively lower literacy rates, record the lowest divorce figures globally.
A sacred institution, not a temporary contract
Several factors influence a country’s low divorce rate. Religion, local divorce laws, and the lack of social support and employment opportunities for the divorced population can lower the likelihood that couples will separate. However, in India, particularly in Hindu society, marriage is not just a legal agreement between two individuals – it is a sacred bond, a union that transcends lifetimes. The concept of till death do us part isn’t just ceremonial fluff; it is a lived reality. Here, a marriage is not something one abandons over momentary frustrations. Families do not treat it as a short-term arrangement that can be discarded at the first sign of inconvenience. Issues, quarrels, and misunderstandings arise in every marriage, but here, elders step in, wisdom is shared, and solutions are found – not through lawyers but through love, patience, and commitment.
Contrast this with the West, where literacy has gifted people with an inflated sense of individualism. Marriages are discarded like last season’s fashion, and people rush to dissolve vows over the most trivial disagreements. ‘Irreconcilable differences’ could mean anything from snoring too loudly to not liking the same Netflix series. With 50% divorce rates in countries boasting 99% literacy, one wonders: has education taught people to read but not to commit?
Some scholars argue that high divorce rates in Western countries result from the diminished stigma associated with divorce and the increased financial independence of women. While this may hold some truth, it is not entirely accurate, as many women still suffer financially due to divorce. The supposed freedom that divorce grants often leaves them vulnerable, particularly when children are involved.
Critics take notes
Some will argue that many Indians remain trapped in unhappy marriages. But is the Western alternative – broken homes, emotionally scarred children, and a culture of serial marriages – any better? Divorce is not a sign of progress; it is the symptom of a society that has lost its ability to endure, to compromise, and to value family above fleeting personal whims.
And lest the critics jump to the conclusion that this is some anti-literacy stance, let’s be clear: even with 100% literacy, India’s divorce rate would remain the same or even drop further. Why? Because Indians are deeply rooted in their values, religion, and customs – things that literacy does not erase but rather reinforces. Education, when grounded in cultural wisdom, strengthens families rather than tearing them apart.
Sri Lanka, with a divorce rate of just 0.15 per 1,000 people, and Vietnam, at 0.2 per 1,000, reinforce this argument. Their societies, much like India’s, prioritise family integrity over short-lived individual satisfaction. Compare that to the Maldives (5.52 per 1,000) or Kazakhstan (4.6 per 1,000), where rapid Westernisation has led to the steady erosion of marital stability.
While the world drowns in paperwork over failed marriages, India stands firm, upholding the sanctity of a bond that has been revered for millennia. Literacy is important, but if it comes at the cost of commitment, perhaps we need less of this brand of enlightenment and more of the wisdom that makes a marriage last a lifetime.
(Source: Neeche Se Topper, divorce.com, and worldpopulationreview.com)
