Ancient marriage traditions prevented women from marrying into a lower economic class, but men could marry into any class below them. Men who married had higher economic status; therefore, they could control the relationship. Women, on the other hand, if married, may have more social and economic power in the relationship, which could upset the traditional patriarchal balance of power. In modern times, in Western nations, men and women can marry whoever they want without the threat of a disturbance in the power structure because these nations are developing concepts of gender equality in their societies. (180 –