Early Marriages
Early marriages are not possible to find a good word for themselves. Their effects on the welfare of the community seem to be wholly and only evil. In India, some of the evils are obscured and partially mitigated by the joint family system for the inexperience of the young parents is made up by the older members of the family; but in spite of this, the system is a serious hindrance to the development of the nation like India.
Every human being has a right to his childhood, which in some ways is the happiest and most blessed part of his life. But too many Indian children are robbed of their so dear heritage. They must not take up the burden of parentage before they themselves are men and women and are able to understand what parenting is all about.
Very early childbearing is and will always be injurious to the health of the girl child and results in serious damage to her health. Many Indian women are old when their European sisters are in their prime of beauty and health.
In many cases, the boy (husband) suffers when the cares of parentage and family are thrust upon him in extreme youth. He loses time for his own education, leisure, and opportunities for mental development. Moreover, being always dependent on his elders, he cannot learn the blessings of independence. In European countries, a man first makes his own position in life and does not dream of marrying until he can himself support his wife and family in comfort.
The inexperience of child-parents is partly responsible for the terrible extent of infant mortality in India. What can a child fourteen years old know of nurturing young children on his own? Ignorance and inexperience result, too often, in the quite unnecessary death of the babies.
The other argument that can be brought against child marriages is that they only tend to increase population by leaps and bounds. In a country like India, a population increase means simply an increase in poverty. As a whole, child marriages could be summed up as the perpetuation of a low standard of living.
