Economic and legal problems of divorce in the late XIX– early XX centuries (based on the materials of the Tver Spiritual Consistory)

This article examines the practical implementation of the institution of divorce in the Tver province in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, using the preserved divorce cases from the Tver Spiritual Consistory. Special attention is given to the difficulties faced by spouses who wished to terminate their official relationships. The "legal" grounds for divorce are considered, and statistical data on the number of divorces in the Tver province from 1884 to 1914 are provided. The analysis of the dynamics of divorce processes shows that the number of divorces in the Tver province, as well as in the entire empire, was insignificant. However, it is worth noting a gradual increase in the number of divorce cases starting from 1909. By the early 20th century, both in the Tver province and in the empire, the reasons for divorces had radically changed. While in the pre- 20th century period, a significant number of divorces were due to exile to Siberia or the unknown absence of one spouse, starting from 1905, adultery became the main cause of divorces. It can be concluded that the divorce procedure was quite complex, did not meet the demands of the time, and demonstrated the necessity for prompt modernization of divorce legislation. The article shows that in addition to the legal difficulties in the dissolution of marriage associated with the patriarchy of society, significant difficulties were caused by economic consequences. Since the possibilities of the spouses will continue to maintain the level of economic well-being, it will either decrease or may change uncontrollably. The authors note that this determines a significant proportion of informal divorces or serves as an obstacle to marriage.