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Why Micro-Credit May Leave Women Worse Off: Non-Cooperative Bargaining and the Marriage Game in South Asia

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  • Sujata Balasubramanian

Abstract

Micro-credit programmes targeting women continue to grow in South Asia, although research suggests that wives frequently hand over loans to their husbands. Women may also be unable to control the income generated by micro-enterprises. This article presents an intra-household bargaining model explaining these findings and showing how credit may leave women worse off, while benefiting men. This game-theoretic model also shows why a woman might rationally choose to give her loan to her husband even though she does not expect to benefit and knows he may not repay. Finally, the article identifies the conditions necessary for micro-credit to benefit women.

Suggested Citation

  • Sujata Balasubramanian, 2013. "Why Micro-Credit May Leave Women Worse Off: Non-Cooperative Bargaining and the Marriage Game in South Asia," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(5), pages 609-623, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jdevst:v:49:y:2013:i:5:p:609-623
    DOI: 10.1080/00220388.2012.709618
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Smith, Lisa C. & Ramakrishnan, Usha & Ndiaye, Aida & Haddad, Lawrence James & Martorell, Reynaldo, 2003. "The importance of women's status for child nutrition in developing countries:," Research reports 131, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
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    Cited by:

    1. Nyarko, Samuel Anokye, 2022. "Gender discrimination and lending to women: The moderating effect of an international founder," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(4).
    2. Anne Jerneck, 2015. "Understanding Poverty," SAGE Open, , vol. 5(4), pages 21582440156, November.
    3. Mathilde Maitrot, 2017. "Re-visiting microfinance entrepreneurship in Bangladesh: Can losers be choosers?," Global Development Institute Working Paper Series 192017, GDI, The University of Manchester.
    4. Anderson, C. Leigh & Reynolds, Travis W. & Gugerty, Mary Kay, 2017. "Husband and Wife Perspectives on Farm Household Decision-making Authority and Evidence on Intra-household Accord in Rural Tanzania," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 169-183.
    5. Sujata Balasubramanian, 2015. "Is the PDS Already a Cash Transfer? Rethinking India's Food Subsidy Policies," HKUST IEMS Working Paper Series 2015-16, HKUST Institute for Emerging Market Studies, revised Mar 2015.
    6. Padmaja, S. Surendran & Kondapi, S., 2018. "Effect of women-centric community-based programme on intra-household decision making in Agriculture," 2018 Conference, July 28-August 2, 2018, Vancouver, British Columbia 277394, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    7. David Hulme & Mathilde Maitrot, 2014. "Has Microfinance Lost its Moral Compass?," Global Development Institute Working Paper Series 20514, GDI, The University of Manchester.

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