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The effects of the gender of children on expenditure patterns in rural China: a semiparametric analysis

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  • Ping Zhang

    (Institute of Economics, Chinese Academy of Social Studies, China)

  • Arthur van Soest

    (RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, USA, and Tilburg University, The Netherlands)

  • Xiaodong Gong

    (Research School of Social Sciences and Department of Economics, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia, and IZA)

Abstract

We analyse expenditure patterns for rural China, focusing on differences between families with boys and girls. The sample includes more than 5000 nuclear families from 19 Chinese provinces. Following the existing literature, we estimate Engel curves for food and for alcohol, a typical adult good. We use a flexible, partially linear specification and allow for endogeneity of total expenditures. The results are similar to those of other studies, not providing much evidence of gender differentials. We then focus on the decision to send a child to school and on the budget share spent on educational goods. Using both parametric and semiparametric estimates, we find evidence that boys are more often sent to school and that expenditures on a boy that goes to school are larger than for a school-going girl of the same age. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Suggested Citation

  • Ping Zhang & Arthur van Soest & Xiaodong Gong, 2005. "The effects of the gender of children on expenditure patterns in rural China: a semiparametric analysis," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 20(4), pages 509-527.
    • Handle: RePEc:jae:japmet:v:20:y:2005:i:4:p:509-527
    DOI: 10.1002/jae.780
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