Ultimately... it's not the marriage itself that guarantees success... it's the strength and determination of those involved in a committed relationship that make for the most successful relationships.
Marriage seems more like an 'idiot-proof' idea that was intended to force people to try harder, but it doesn't work. You cannot replace fidelity, motivation, devotion, and love with a contract. These things have to be in place for a marriage contract to even work.
The independents have a point in that marriages really don't matter... because without the emotional commitment, they can't work. Also long-term relationships with this commitment can work just as well as any marriage of equal fortitude.
Those that support the marriage idea do have a point too... it was intended to make separation more difficult. However, it fails miserably. If anything, it makes those involved far too lazy (i.e. we're married now, everything should work out... or... I married him so now he's trapped).
Children get hurt in any kind of long term relationship that turns sour... marriage-based or not. It's not the institution of marriage that needs to be enforced... it's the idea of working on a committed long-term relationship of any kind that needs to be supported. Something that involves both partners' undivided attention --- not a piece of paper that seems to make people lazy relationship-wise --- or even naive.
Basically, let's start from the ground up with reestablishing valued relationships involving more than just sex or a potential 'servant.' How about actually living out some of that 'equality' instead of arguing about it when we feel it's to our advantage?
(Yes, I know... I said I wouldn't get involved... but this has been going on for quite some time).
"The weakest soul, knowing its own weakness, and believing this truth that strength can only be developed by effort and practice, will, thus believing, at once begin to exert itself, and, adding effort to effort, patience to patience, and strength to strength, will never cease to develop, and will at last grow divinely strong."
- James Allen