It wasn't so much that women couldn't afford divorce as it was that it wasn't acceptable socially. I started kindergarten in 1978 and I had a friend that told me his dad didn't live with them. I thought that was so strange back then. By the time I was in 3rd grade there were many more of my friends that had seperated and divorced parents..and by 11th grade mine were as well..and most of my friends parents were too. And I guess it's a vicous cycle cuz now I have 2 kids and am divorced. But, our media and our acceptance of less than savory people in our society is what has caused our moral decline. The root of the problem is to be found in how kids are raised nowdays..and the inability of one parent to be at home to watch over and nurtutre them. Want the society to change?..then pressure politicians to push for wages that would enable one parent to work and their family still live comfortably while the other stays home. IMO greed is the cause of our society's problems..and its trickle down effect is just now coming to fruition in other aspects of our society.