Permissive society - Definition

The permissive society is a label given to a society where social norms are becoming increasingly liberal. This usually accompanies a change in what is deviant. A permissive society is one that has few moral codes beyond "do not harm others".

Aspects which often change as a society becomes more permissive:

• Sexual freedom increases. This includes the freedom to take part in sexual activities which are not the norm, such as BDSM and fetishes, as well as sexual couplings which have been frowned upon in the past, such as homosexuality, bisexuality and swinging.
• Freedom to view violent and sexual material including movies, music, art and literature increases, and censorship decreases.
• The power of religious groups decreases, often accompanied by a rising secularism.

The past is often referred to by some as having been better, e.g. having had fever divorces. Considering the number and life of children not born from a marrige (and the bad marriges not ending because of societal repression of females, e.g. lack of education, sufficient own salary), this is quite untrue, and the opposite (so that there is some positive progress) can well be thought.

See also

• Sexual revolution