Social observers are quite concerned by the decline in marriage, rise in divorce diminishing role of families and the associated changes in gender roles, fertility, and the welfare of children. Economists bring a relatively new perspective into this domain and examine modes of family behavior in a marriage "market". From an economic point of view, marriage is a partnership for the purpose of joint production and joint consumption. The production and rearing of children is the most commonly recognized role of the family. But there are other important functions, division of labor, sharing of collective (non rival) goods, extending credit and risk pooling. The gains from marriage associated with these functions depend on the coordination between spouses, the degree of assortative mating, and the availability of market substitutes. Thus, the labor market and the marriage market interact.
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