Productivity, Rank and Returns in Polygamy

Julia Matz

The Institute for International Integration Studies Discussion Paper Series from IIIS

Abstract: This study sheds light on the development of family structures in a polygamous context and offers an explanation for the association between outcomes of children and the status of their mothers among wives, based on observable maternal characteristics. Using a game theoretical approach I show that highly productive wives are more strongly demanded in the marriage market than less productive ones so that a selection into being the first wife with respect to productivity takes place. Furthermore, productivity is positively associated with a woman's bargained share of family income to be spent on consumption and investment, due to greater contributions to family income and larger outside options. The findings are empirically supported by a positive relationship between indicators of female productivity, women's levels of seniority among wives, and their children's educational outcomes in rural Ethiopia.

Keywords: Polygamy; Rank; Intrahousehold Allocation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D13 J12 O12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 45 pages
Date: 2011-12, Revised 2012-07
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dem and nep-dev
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Journal Article: Productivity, Rank, and Returns in Polygamy (2016)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:iis:dispap:iiisdp390

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