The Demographic Transition and the Position of Women: a Marriage Market Perspective

V Bhaskar

The Economic Journal, 2019, vol. 129, issue 624, 2999-3024

Abstract: Secular trends in cohort size cause large marriage market imbalances due to the age gap at marriage between men and women. Positive cohort growth adversely affects women in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Secular decline improves their position in East Asia. I show that the age gap at marriage will not adjust in order to equilibrate the marriage market in response to persistent imbalances, even though it accommodates transitory shocks. This implies large distributional consequences on the sexes, and may increase dowries. I also analyse transition dynamics between steady states and examine how age gaps and transfers adjust in the transition.

Date: 2019
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