[Chickensoup]

I believe that the age of sexual consent should be dropped to fourteen. The age of mandatory schooling should be dropped to twelve or end of sixth grade. That the minimum wage should be completely elimated. That most all child labor laws should be repealed so that kids can go into early aprenticeships and on the job trainings. Many young people want to start life earlier than the mandated 18 to thirty.

I also believe that these children should be encouraged to marry as soon as they can support themselves.

I had an apartment and a job at 15. It is certainly doable and there is nothing like supporting oneself to make one responsible.

[Nowhere Man]

I believe that the age of sexual consent should be dropped to fourteen. The age of mandatory schooling should be dropped to twelve or end of sixth grade. That the minimum wage should be completely elimated. That most all child labor laws should be repealed so that kids can go into early aprenticeships and on the job trainings. Many young people want to start life earlier than the mandated 18 to thirty.

I also believe that these children should be encouraged to marry as soon as they can support themselves.

I had an apartment and a job at 15. It is certainly doable and there is nothing like supporting oneself to make one responsible.

That's basically how it was back in the older times, many societies considered you an adult when you reach the age of 14. With few exceptions like entering into expensive contracts and a couple other things, you have the same responsibities as an adult. Personally, I think it should be that way.

However, our society is not structured like that anymore and it seems like we have a prolonged adolescence that lasts until 21 or even 30. Heck, there are many 30+ year olds that seem to play with rattles. B-P The 14 or 16 year old of 1900 and before or even 1950 were usually more mature than the ones today with few exceptions.

A compromise is some solution where all sides are not 100% happy but it will generally work, I'd keep the age of consent at 16.

Come to think of it, in earlier societies, men usually worked to establish a career, perhaps a home and some sort of nest egg until they were 30 or 40 and then when they were ready to marry, the wife was in her mid to late teens, perhaps 20. Some Biblical scholars seem to think Joseph was around 30, 35 or 40 and Mary was like 15/18 or so. I think your idea and what used to be can work if we had a society that trained their kids to the realities of life and to strong principles, I'm generally somewhat of a libertarian where we have to be accountable for our actions and I think even by 14 or 16, most people are able to be or they should be at least given the right bringing up and training.