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Property Rights, Marriage, and Fertility in the Italian Alps, 1790–1820

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  • Casari, Marco
  • Lisciandra, Maurizio
  • Tagliapietra, Claudio

Abstract

Does property rights allocation on the commons affect marriage strategies and fertility? We focus on the role played by patrilineal vs. egalitarian inheritance systems. Our approach combines a theoretical model and an empirical study that exploits an institutional shock at the turn of the 19th century, which made inheritance on the common property-resources egalitarian for everyone. We report that – as predicted by the model – communities with patrilineal inheritance rights on the commons exhibit higher levels of endogamy and consanguinity and lower fertility than those with egalitarian inheritance rights.

Suggested Citation

  • Casari, Marco & Lisciandra, Maurizio & Tagliapietra, Claudio, 2019. "Property Rights, Marriage, and Fertility in the Italian Alps, 1790–1820," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 72-92.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:exehis:v:71:y:2019:i:c:p:72-92
    DOI: 10.1016/j.eeh.2018.09.001
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Liam Kennedy, 1991. "Farm succession in modern Ireland: elements of a theory of inheritance," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 44(3), pages 477-499, August.
    2. O’Grady, Trevor & Tagliapietra, Claudio, 2017. "Biological welfare and the commons: A natural experiment in the Alps, 1765–1845," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 27(PA), pages 137-153.
    3. H. Scott Gordon, 1954. "The Economic Theory of a Common-Property Resource: The Fishery," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Chennat Gopalakrishnan (ed.), Classic Papers in Natural Resource Economics, chapter 9, pages 178-203, Palgrave Macmillan.
    4. Casari, Marco & Lisciandra, Maurizio, 2016. "Gender Discrimination in Property Rights: Six Centuries of Commons Governance in the Alps," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 76(2), pages 559-594, June.
    5. Bjerk, David, 2009. "Beauty vs. earnings: Gender differences in earnings and priorities over spousal characteristics in a matching model," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 69(3), pages 248-259, March.
    6. Partha Dasgupta, 2000. "Population and Resources: An Exploration of Reproductive and Environmental Externalities," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 26(4), pages 643-689, December.
    7. Roth, Alvin E., 1984. "Misrepresentation and stability in the marriage problem," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 34(2), pages 383-387, December.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Common-pool resources; Inheritance; Land tenure; Napoleon;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D23 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Organizational Behavior; Transaction Costs; Property Rights
    • N53 - Economic History - - Agriculture, Natural Resources, Environment and Extractive Industries - - - Europe: Pre-1913
    • P48 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Other Economic Systems - - - Legal Institutions; Property Rights; Natural Resources; Energy; Environment; Regional Studies

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