Marriage and Divorce since World War II: Analyzing the Role of Technological Progress on the Formation of Households

Jeremy Greenwood and Nezih Guner

No 6391, CEPR Discussion Papers from Centre for Economic Policy Research

Abstract: Since World War II there has been: (i) a rise in the fraction of time that married households allocate to market work, (ii) an increase in the rate of divorce, and (iii) a decline in the rate of marriage. What can explain this? It is argued here that technological progress in the household sector has saved on the need for labour at home. This makes it more feasible for singles to maintain their own home, and for married women to work. To address this question, a search model of marriage and divorce is developed. Household production benefits from labour-saving technological progress.

Keywords: Divorce; Hours worked; Household production; Marriage; Technological progress (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: E13 J12 J22 O11 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2007-07
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dev, nep-his, nep-ltv and nep-mac
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Related works:
Chapter: Marriage and Divorce since World War II: Analyzing the Role of Technological Progress on the Formation of Households (2009)
Working Paper: Marriage and Divorce since World War II: Analyzing the Role of Technological Progress on the Formation of Households (2008)
Working Paper: Marriage and Divorce since World War II: Analyzing the Role of Technological Progress on the Formation of Households (2008)
Working Paper: Marriage and Divorce since World War II: Analyzing the Role of Technological Progress on the Formation of Households (2004)
Working Paper: Marriage and Divorce since World War II: Analyzing the Role of Technological Progress on the Formation of Households (2004)
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