Paper short abstract:

The paper deals with an understanding the causes of the family conflicts and devorces in Uzbekistan. Author argues that existing sociological surveys show a superficial picture related to general causes that can be found in any country. and do not touch specific causes rooted in Uzbek traditions.

Paper long abstract:

Uzbek statistics show a growth of family conflicts, home violence, and divorces in Uzbekistan. Before 2017 the topic of the growth of divorces was a kind of taboo. In 2018 it became the constant guest on the pages of mass media. Scientists, journalists, representatives of authorities try to understand the reasons for this growth and what should be changed in our society to stop it.

This is a serious problem for the Uzbek government because solutions to these problems in the family sphere are a real headache for the government. Recently, on the conference call, the President of Uzbekistanemotionally said: “What is going on?! Please, stop divorces”. Why the President is so worried about the rising divorce rate?

There are big differences between the consequences of divorces in developed countries and the developing (not rich) countries, including Uzbekistan.

In the present West, marriage is a decision of two people (“loving hearts”) and they divorce when they understand that they don’t love each other anymore, or they are too different, etc. It is a sphere of privacy.

In Uzbekistan, the growth of divorces is not a private question, it is social problem with serious social and economic consequences. These consequences are following:

- a decrease of the living standards in incomplete families and growth of the poverty;

- unemployment among women after divorce;

- growth of prostitution;

- child crimes;

- low level of education among children;

- suicides.

According to sociological surveys, the main reasons are misunderstanding and conflicts, especially during the first years of marriage. The explanatory scheme is simple: mutual misunderstanding leads to conflicts, and conflicts lead to divorces.

How to solve this problem? If we accept this explanatory scheme it is simple: it is necessary to teach young people to understand each other and take steps towards each other.

Many state organizations (Committee of women, Scientific Center “Family”, local powers, etc.) are involved in this process of teaching, now. They organize training, courses, and seminars for young couples, publish books, establish special TV programs (how to make steps towards each other), etc. Huge money has been spent on this activity. The last statistic data show that number of divorces is decreasing, now!

Really, scientific explanations helped to solve an important social problem? No, the state bodies just stopped to divorce.

The author argues that the real cause of the divorces is a crisis of traditional marriage in Uzbek society. And, no courses, seminars, and methodical instructions can solve this problem.

In traditional society, the decision on marriage (whom to marry, at what age to marry) is made not by a young couple (“loving hearts”) but by their parents (clans).

One of the forms of traditional marriage is early marriage. According to surveys, the main reasons for divorces are mutual misunderstandings and, as a result, conflicts. Why young spouses don’t understand each other? They don’t know each other!

The paper shows why they don’t know each other, and the consequences of early marriages.