With the advent of the industrial age in the 19th century, people’s finances were no longer tied to lands and their families. Financial independence meant they didn’t have to rely on family assets and inheritance for economic security, thus breaking the link between economics and marriage.

What emerged from this new reality was a focus on individual rights and the importance of personal happiness. e an exercise of personal rights and the pathway to romantic bliss. A key development in the history of romance.

Somewhere in the 1960s, a shift in social values led to the age of free love in the 1970s

When the 20th century rolled around, the social landscape changed dramatically. Women were entering the workforce, and the suffrage movement was picking up steam.

More and more people were financially independent, and emotions become more valued and appreciated. Continue reading →