Economics of Marriage

1. Economics of Marriage • Bridewealth(46%) • Bride service(14%) • Reciprocal exchange (6%) • Dowry (3%)

2. Economics of Marriage • Bride service (14%) • Groom labors for bride’s parents • Few material goods, foragers • E.g. Ju/’hoansi • Reciprocal exchange (6%) • Equal exchange • Pacific and Native Americans • Dowry (3%) • Bride’s to groom’s family • Eurasia and India

3. Dowry in India • Widely practiced • Inheritance laws ignored • Traditionally daughter’s inheritance • Portable items, gold • Controlled by woman • Security in husband’s family • Changes with capitalist economy • British colonial rule • taxes and cash economy • Income for groom’s family • Recent decades • Liberalization  consumerism • Escalating demands • Anti-dowry laws ignored – 95% practice • Social pressure • Parents must get daughters married • To get good groom, secure position • Overcome girl’s “shortcomings”

4. Dowry Effects on Girls & Women • Daughters = economic liability • Bias in favor of males • Inheritance • Underfeeding • Medical neglect • Suicide • Hypergamy – marrying up • Patrilineality, patrilocality • Young & illiterate most vulnerable • Dowry harassment and deaths • “Bride burning” • 25,000 per year • Difficult to prosecute

5. Indian Sex Ratios Norm: 1,050 females/1,000 males India: 1901: 972/1000 2001: 933/1000 2011: 940/1000 = 37 million fewer females Ultrasound and abortion Infant mortality 40% higher for girls Child Sex Ratios(0-6 years) India: 2001: 927/1000, 2011: 914/1000 States 1991 2001 2011 Punjab 875 793 846 Haryana 879 820 830 Gujarat 928 878 886 Maharashtra 946 917 883 (Kerala 1084, female literacy 92%)

6. Divorce • Bridewealth, dowry, patrilineal  low divorce rate • Economic investment • Dependence • Children stay with father’s family • Bilateral, matrilineal  higher divorce rate • Matrilocal or ambilocal • Ties with natal kin • Inheritance • Children may stay with mother, or choose • Less stigma for children out of wedlock • Patrilineal • Concern over paternity  control women • Honor killings • Family, lineage, caste honor

7. Divorce • Descent systems (patrilineal, matrilineal, bilateral) • residence patterns • inheritance • support from natal family • whether corporate groups are involved • whether marriages are arranged • whether there is an economic exchange such as bride price or dowry • who the children belong to • whether there is social stigma and/or legal sanctions • economic dependence

8. Divorce rate in U.S. ~50% • Divorce in India~1% • Dowry • Involvement of families • Emphasis on family & caste instead of individual • Arranged vs. romantic love • Social stigma • Difficult to obtain • Repercussions for family members • Economic dependence of women • Can’t return to natal family • Proverb: “A given girl is out of the family”

9. Patrilineal Societies • Men inherit • Women marry into another group, village • Changes in women’s status over life course • Bearing sons • Becoming mother-in-law • Filial ties (parent-child) • Uterine family • Mother-son relationship • e.g. Chinese, Sub-Sahara African • Conflicts of interest between older & younger women • Perpetuation of oppressive system

10. Matrilineal Societies • Children belong to mother’s lineage • Men still have crucial roles & leadership • No matriarchies! • Men owe position in lineage to women • Status of women more important • Women have more control over their lives • Advantages for women • Matrilocal residence • Natal family support • More freedom • Control over property • Domestic authority • Higher value placed on lives

11. Kinship Terms • Descent – related by blood • Patrilineal • Matrilineal • Bilateral • Ambilineal • Residence – where couple lives • Patrilocal/Virilocal = with husband’s parents • Matrilocal/Uxorilocal = with bride’s parents • Avunculocal = with uncle • Bilocal/Ambilocal = with either set of parents • Neolocal = new/with neither set of parents • Family Structure • Nuclear • Extended = 3 generations • Joint = brothers, 2 generations • Matrifocal = women and children