We estimate Eq. (1) by replacing Dij (Bij) with three different sets of dowry and bride price paid to others (i.e., \( \overlinej>> \) and \( \overlinej>> \) , \( \overline> \) and \( \overline> \) , or the community-based dowry and bride price), and three sets of reduced-form estimation results are presented in Table 4. Each panel presents estimation results of a reduced-form regression with a different set of dowry and bride price paid to others. To be comparable with Panel A, the OLS estimation results with women who have at least one brother and one sister are presented in Appendix Table 8. The reduced-form estimation results support the main OLS estimation results shown in Table 2. That is, women enjoy higher status in the ily that tends to exchange higher dowries and when they come from a higher-dowry village, whereas a larger bride price is negatively associated with these same traits. Here, the amount of bride price paid to the wife’s sisters by their in-laws is significantly negatively associated with the wife’s autonomy. The third set, i.e., the community-based dowry and bride price, does not show any significant association with women’s status. This is likely because relatively weaker association between the community-based dowry (bride price) and the personal dowry (bride price) that the bride receives from her parents (in-laws) than other two sets. The estimates for other coefficients are not inconsistent with those shown in Table 2 and are available upon request.
Table 4 Connection between dowry/bride-to-be rate (paid because of the during the-guidelines from sisters, others in the village and you will people) and you may wife’s standing Zhuhai in China marriage agency throughout the marital family (OLS)
4.3 Dialogue and you may robustness checks
Inside choosing the latest ladies’ position in the marital household, the end result of your own web dowry (dowry minus fiance rates) get number. Note that the degree of deferred mehr is roofed individually regarding the online dowry once the former has never been repaid unless divorce takes place and cannot be considered possessions introduced toward matrimony. The outcome advise that the new possessions brought towards ount) boost her choice-and also make stamina and you will self-reliance. These types of self-confident connectivity commonly shocking because the fresh new contacts regarding bride speed paid off in the course of matrimony manage prevent in order to the ones from dowry in the primary estimations.
Perhaps, an increased years or education improvement you are going to deteriorate new wife’s condition from the marital household. As well as age differences and degree huge difference (replacing the husband’s years and knowledge) does not change the main consequences, as well as the coefficients ones details are not high (Appendix Desk nine, Panel B).
The latest estimation process try repeated by replacing dowry and you will bride to be price that have internet dowry (Appendix Table nine, Committee An effective)
One you are going to believe exactly how many years just like the relationships was important because the effect of dowry (otherwise fiance speed) would be better after relationship. Including many years given that ount from dowry (replacement female’s many years at matrimony) magnifies the bottom effectation of dowry inside the women’s self-reliance however, reduces their magnitude and benefit top in ladies decision making (Appendix Table 9, Committee C). Meaning that more substantial dowry boosts the wife’s liberty for the new marital household after marriage; yet not, the latest association is not rather impacted by the fresh passage of years since the marriage.
Zero measure of gender ideology is included in the primary estimation because of endogeneity questions. You to you are going to believe inclusion of these actions will get weaken brand new relationship between dowry and you will ladies’ condition on the marital household. Although we cannot refute the possibility that preferences and you will ideological values concerning the gender affairs are not built-in and change along side marital lives, brand new estimate processes try constant from the plus one or two tips to own son preference: the initial varying means one to when the wife’s ideal level of sons is actually more than that daughters together with next translates to you to definitely in the event the wife wants to give degree to help you sons as opposed to in order to daughters. Controlling to own gender ideology will not significantly impact the main estimation efficiency (Appendix Table 9, Panel D). Amazingly, ladies’ decision making are undoubtedly from the child taste. Yet not, it is negatively in the liking getting bringing higher education in order to sons than daughters. A prospective interpretation is the fact extremely experienced feminine tends to be against gender inequality within the studies and start to become significantly more empowered regarding the relationship family but choose having much more sons than simply daughters. It looks in line with particular existing studies demonstrating one to young buck preference is more prevalent among extremely educated feminine in lieu of uneducated female into the Southern Asia (Das Gupta 1987; Muhuri and Preston 1991).