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Sex imbalance, marital matching and intra-household bargaining: Evidence from China

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  • Du, Julan
  • Wang, Yongqin
  • Zhang, Yan

Abstract

This paper studies the effects of sex imbalance on matching patterns in China's marriage markets. We hypothesize that the economic inequality caused by economic liberalization, together with sex imbalance, will lead to women's hypergamy (marrying up). Employing CGSS data, our empirical findings support the hypothesis. We also establish that sex imbalance enhances the postnuptial bargaining power of the wife vis-à-vis the husband in intra-household resource allocation. The findings are robust to IV estimation and robustness checks.

Suggested Citation

  • Du, Julan & Wang, Yongqin & Zhang, Yan, 2015. "Sex imbalance, marital matching and intra-household bargaining: Evidence from China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 197-218.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:chieco:v:35:y:2015:i:c:p:197-218
    DOI: 10.1016/j.chieco.2014.11.002
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    Cited by:

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    4. Ong, David & Yang, Yu (Alan) & Zhang, Junsen, 2020. "Hard to get: The scarcity of women and the competition for high-income men in urban China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    5. Nie, Haifeng & Xing, Chunbing, 2019. "Education expansion, assortative marriage, and income inequality in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 37-51.
    6. Zhang, Yuan & Sun, Shiyi, 2024. "Gender imbalance, wife’s bargain power and shrinking household size in Rural China," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    7. Maria Porter, 2017. "Spousal Bargaining Over Care for Elderly Parents in China: Imbalances in Sex Ratios Influence the Allocation of Support," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(4), pages 514-529, April.
    8. Yao, Yuxin & Zhang, Min & Li, Yixian, 2023. "Sex ratios and marital matching outcomes in the Chinese marriage market," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 222(C).
    9. Wang, Qingbin & Zou, Yang & Fan, Dan, 2019. "Gender imbalance in China’s marriage migration: Quantitative evidence and policy implications," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 406-414.
    10. Zhiming Cheng & Russell Smyth, 2015. "China’s Imbalanced Sex Ratio and Satisfaction with Marital Relationships," Monash Economics Working Papers 22-15, Monash University, Department of Economics.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Sex imbalance; Female hypergamy; Bargaining power; Sorting;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C78 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Bargaining Theory; Matching Theory
    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • O17 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Formal and Informal Sectors; Shadow Economy; Institutional Arrangements
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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