The marriage age U-shape

JODE - Journal of Demographic Economics, 2023, vol. 89, issue 2, 211-252

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.

Keywords: Age of marriage; Economic Development; Twentieth century demography (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J12 N32 N34 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023-06-01
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https://doi.org/10.1017/dem.2021.27 (application/pdf)

Related works:
Journal Article: The marriage age U-shape (2023)
Working Paper: The Marriage Age U-Shape (2019)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ctl:louvde:v:89:y:2023:i:2:p:211-252

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