Female autonomy generated successful long-term human capital development: Evidence from 16th to 19th century Europe

Joerg Baten and Alexandra M. de Pleijt

World Development, 2022, vol. 158, issue C

Abstract: Does higher female autonomy increase human capital formation? To find out, we employ novel data on numeracy as a proxy for human capital and the demographic indicator female age at marriage as a measure for female autonomy for 27 countries and 153 regions in Europe between 1500 and 1900. Our empirical analysis shows that countries and regions with a relatively high level of female autonomy became success cases and pioneers in long-term human capital development. Because women had an advantage in dairy-farming, we approach endogeneity issues by exploiting variation in gender-biased agricultural specialization.

Keywords: Human capital formation; Female autonomy; Early modern growth (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: N13 N33 O40 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:158:y:2022:i:c:s0305750x22001899

DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2022.105999

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