Does the European Marriage Pattern Explain Economic Growth

Tracy Dennison and Sheilagh Ogilvie

No 4244, CESifo Working Paper Series from CESifo

Abstract: This paper scrutinizes the recently postulated link between the European Marriage Pattern (EMP) and economic success. A metastudy of the historical demography literature shows that the EMP did not prevail throughout Europe, its three key components did not always coincide, and its more extreme manifestations were associated with economic stagnation rather than growth. There is no evidence that the EMP improved economic performance by empowering women, increasing human capital investment, adjusting population to economic trends, or sustaining beneficial cultural norms. European economic success was not caused by the EMP and its sources must therefore be sought in other factors.

Keywords: European Marriage Pattern; nuptiality; household structure; population growth; women; human capital; culture; institutions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J12 J13 K00 N33 O17 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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Journal Article: Does the European Marriage Pattern Explain Economic Growth? (2014)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ces:ceswps:_4244

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