For most of human history, coupling up was not merely a norm; it was a necessity. Before reliable contraception, women could not control their fertility, and most were far too poor to raise children alone. Hence the centuries-old convention that, whereas a tragic play or saga ends in death, a happy one ends in marriage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So the speed with which the norm of marriage\u2014indeed, of relationships of any sort\u2014is being abandoned<\/a> is startling. Throughout the rich world, singlehood is on the rise. Among Americans aged 25-34, the proportion living without a spouse or partner has doubled in five decades, to 50% for men and 41% for women. Since 2010, the share of people living alone has risen in 26 out of 30 rich countries. By The Economist<\/em>\u2019s calculation, the world has at least 100m more single people today than if coupling rates were still as high as in 2017. A great relationship recession is under way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For some, this is evidence of social and moral decay. As we report<\/a>, many in the \u201cpro-natalist\u201d movement believe that the failure of the young to settle down and procreate threatens to end Western civilisation. For others, it is evidence of admirable self-reliance. Vogue<\/em>, a fashion magazine, recently suggested that for cool, ambitious young women, having a boyfriend is not merely unnecessary but \u201cembarrassing\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In fact, the rise of singlehood is neither straightforwardly good nor bad. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Read it all<\/a>.<\/p> A future with far more singletons is fast approaching. That will reshape the world in ways good and bad. Everyone, from construction firms to the taxman, had better prepare https:\/\/t.co\/VnDr8O2MYV<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/l6mVxmWgBH<\/a><\/p>— The Economist (@TheEconomist) November 6, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote>