Social Transformations in Contemporary Society

Abstract

Abstract Purpose -the article aims to present the arguments used in the debate over the proposed new matrimonial law in the interwar Poland. The new codification was prepared in order to replace the previously existing regulations, that were completely different in the various parts of the country. Due to the opposition to the new legislation it never came into force. It should be noted that this opposition had a mass character, that was induced by the attitude of the conservative circles and the dominant religious groups. The author aims to show the various types of the arguments used in the debate (related i. e. to the position of the family, the development of the nation) and to indicate the usefulness of the analysis of the discussion on the law of marriage to reflect on contemporary discussions over controversial legal projects. Design / methodology / approach -research for the article was based on the analysis of the selected papers issued in the interwar period that referred to the proposed new marriage law. Findings -the goal of the research is to show that both proponents and opponents of the new matrimonial law used an extremely wide range of arguments. These arguments were not only of a religious nature. Legal and sociological arguments were also used during the debate