Marriage, bequest, and assortative matching in rural Ethiopia

Loading...
Thumbnail Image

Date Issued

Date Online

Language

en

Review Status

Peer Review

Access Rights

Limited Access Limited Access

Share

Citation

Fafchamps, Marcel; Quisumbing, Agnes R. 2005. Marriage, bequest, and assortative matching in rural Ethiopia. Economic Development and Cultural Change 53(2): 347-380. https://doi.org/10.1086/425373

Permanent link to cite or share this item

External link to download this item

Abstract/Description

This article examines the determinants of human and physical capital at marriage. Using detailed data from rural Ethiopia, we find that assets brought to marriage are distributed in a highly unequal manner. For first unions, assets brought to marriage are positively associated with parents' wealth, indicating that a bequest motive affects assets at marriage. Parental wealth affects the inheritance of neither groom nor bride. Sibling competition from brothers affects grooms' inheritance, but sisters have no effect. The marriage market is a major conduit for rural and gender inequality, although avenues do exist for couples to accumulate wealth over their life cycle.

Author ORCID identifiers

Countries