The low divorce rate in India is hardly virtuous.  My observation from my time in India is that it largely reflects the low status of women - the lack or property rights for women and the weak social support for single women (unmarried, divorced and even widowed). Women are too often trapped in abusive relationships because they cannot afford to leave.  Yes, the divorce rate might be low and this has an illusion of sustainability, but it reflects male power and dominance. Toynbee is naive to extol the love that Indian's have, one for another... think of the sorry plight of most SC's and OBC's who are the victims of castism, and of the marginalised Tribals. Reflect on the abuse of women trapped in bad marriages or worse, sold into servitude and even sex slavery.  I suggest you think again if these are the 'unique systems and institutions' you refer to.  Surely there is  a better way, without going down the sorry track taken by many in the West.

The low divorce rate in India is hardly virtuous.  My observation from my time in India is that it largely reflects the low status of women - the lack or property rights for women and the weak social support for single women (unmarried, divorced and even widowed). Women are too often trapped in abusive relationships because they cannot afford to leave.  Yes, the divorce rate might be low and this has an illusion of sustainability, but it reflects male power and dominance. Toynbee is naive to extol the love that Indian's have, one for another... think of the sorry plight of most SC's and OBC's who are the victims of castism, and of the marginalised Tribals. Reflect on the abuse of women trapped in bad marriages or worse, sold into servitude and even sex slavery.  I suggest you think again if these are the 'unique systems and institutions' you refer to.  Surely there is  a better way, without going down the sorry track taken by many in the West.

It is required that a comparative study be made highlighting the difference between  couples who divorced and couples who continue to be in marriage.

Why are you equating marital longevity with sustainability? 

Critical inquiry would be a valuable tool to reassess many of the assumptions outlined above.

Dear Peter,

I wish you had showed me a better system before criticising the Indian model of sustainability I suggested. I am repeating: Among all the institutions of marriage existing currently, the Indian model of marriage continues to be the most sustainable. The numbers speak for themselves. Does that say something for researchers?

IMHO, The happenings on the extreme fringes do not reflect the main body. Let me elucidate. Colonial and post colonial India has undergone extreme convulsions in the way of life. British imposition of industrialized ways of living and consumption over a 'default' rural, self-sustaining, joint family system, with their own sustainable ways of life, have wreaked havoc in the traditions and sustainable systems. Traditional medicine, Yoga, natural ways of production and living were discouraged to favour western education and western mill made products. The results are there for all to see. Even in the industrialized societies, Organic, Bio, are favoured in place of industrial products. 

The very indutrialized societies have now realised the futility of over production and over consumption and the damage they do to the environment, and seeking, back-to-basics, close-to-nature ways now. Alternative and complementary medicinal systems like Ayurveda, Accupuncture and meditation are explored when Allopathy fails to provide relief. 

The fringe malaises you speak of are a side-effect of this alienation from natural systems and are largely a urban and industrial occurence, a result of blindly following the western industrial material model of 'development'. They do not reflect the majority of India's society which lives mainly in the country.

Even your

1. Women are too often trapped in abusive relationships because they cannot afford to leave.

2. reflects male power and dominance

3. the abuse of women trapped in bad marriages or worse, sold into servitude and even sex slavery

...are too generic, are not particular to India alone, existing even in industrialized societies.

And if you empathise with the " SC's and OBC's who are the victims of castism, and of the marginalised Tribals", I can assure you that the Indian system has a better record of their upliftment and inclusion into mainstream society than the aborigines of Australia. The numbers are there for all to see. Has an aborigine ever become the head of Australia? Before President Obama, has a person of color ever reached the top position? A person of another religion? A woman? 

Regards

Dear Paul,

I equate marital longevity with sustainability because:- Sustain-ability. Surviv-ability. The ability to endure. 

The institution of marriage and family is the first exposure an individual experiences on how to treat others. The relations with one's fellow living beings are first experienced and explored in the family. 

“What we are doing to the forests of the world is but a mirror reflection of what we are doing to ourselves and to one another.”-Chris Maser

Families that go back many generations, pass on traditions and wisdom to younger generations and are thus more sustainable. Coming to marriage, When one cannot sustain a relationship with another human being, will he be better off with others? The Environment?

So my contention that 'strength of marriage' is a indicator of Sustainability. Higher the divorce rate or higher the rate of co-habitation without marriage is highly unsustainable, resulting in shrinking families, growth rate and populations.

Regards

Art of leaving can be learned from Indian who lives their life with feelings rather than attention seeking potential

But does it result in the survival of its people? No, it leads to poverty.

I do not think so, because of the reciprocal understanding as well as the existing of specific familial or marriage relations that prevent divorce.

Marriage relationships do definitely represent the natural cohesion of a society, in terms of human bonds, i.e. psychophysics of social relationships. Both of your Toynbee citations point to this direction of human cohesionary force, which is superior to 'social engineering', i.e. organic relationships between humans are the most durable, because they are based on deep emotions and not on calculatory sentiments. Only more empirical research can clarify these human cohesion principles, which range from force to free choice; in any case, dominant value preferences do matter.

To comment on this issue; need to have detailed information. In the second stage, I think a well prepared field study is required.