African polygamy: Past and present

MPRA Paper from University Library of Munich, Germany

Abstract: Motivated by a simple model, I use DHS data to test nine hypotheses about the prevalence and decline of African polygamy. First, greater female involvement in agriculture does not increase polygamy. Second, past inequality better predicts polygamy today than does current inequality. Third, the slave trade only predicts polygamy across broad regions. Fourth, modern female education does not reduce polygamy. Colonial schooling does. Fifth, economic growth has eroded polygamy. Sixth and seventh, rainfall shocks and war increase polygamy, though their effects are small. Eighth, polygamy varies smoothly over borders, national bans notwithstanding. Finally, falling child mortality has reduced polygamy.

Keywords: Africa; polygamy; ethnic institutions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: N57 O10 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012-09
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-afr, nep-dem and nep-dev
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (14)

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https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/41618/1/MPRA_paper_41618.pdf original version (application/pdf)
https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/42893/2/MPRA_paper_42893.pdf revised version (application/pdf)
https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/48526/1/MPRA_paper_48526.pdf revised version (application/pdf)

Related works:
Journal Article: African polygamy: Past and present (2015)
Working Paper: African polygamy: Past and present (2012)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:pra:mprapa:41618

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