The marriage age U-shape

verfasst von

Pavel Jelnov

Abstract

In this paper, I address the U-shaped dynamics (a decrease followed by an increase) in the age at first marriage during the twentieth century. First, I show that the U-shaped dynamics have been steeper in Western that in other countries. Second, I find that these dynamics in the West are strongly related to the post-World War II (WWII) economic growth. By contrast, in the nineteenth and the first half of the twentieth centuries age of marriage was much less correlated across Western countries. I propose a simple model where age of marriage is a function of search frictions and married women's labor force participation. Both factors put together generate U-shaped dynamics as a result of an industrial boom that mimics the post-WWII Western economic development.

Organisationseinheit(en)

Institut für Arbeitsökonomik

Externe Organisation(en)

Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit (IZA)

Typ

Artikel

Journal

Journal of demographic economics

Band

89

Seiten

211-252

Anzahl der Seiten

42

ISSN

2054-0892

Publikationsdatum

2023

Publikationsstatus

Veröffentlicht

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Demographie, Geografie, Planung und Entwicklung, Volkswirtschaftslehre und Ökonometrie

Ziele für nachhaltige Entwicklung

SDG 8 – Anständige Arbeitsbedingungen und wirtschaftliches Wachstum

Elektronische Version(en)

https://doi.org/10.1017/dem.2021.27 (Zugang: Offen)