Historically, couples facing irreconcilable marital strains stayed together because they had to, whether for social, legal, or economic reasons. Today, there is little social disapproval attached to divorce. For the first time in (Western) history, legal marriage is based on something other than property or social convention, and for most marriages, that other thing is emotional support. However, because all this change has come about so quickly, today's husbands and wives must individually come to terms with how to allocate power, privilege, and responsibility. The old rules are gone and with new mores in flux, power sharing is an area that trips up many couples.