On the Economics of Polygyny

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On the Economics of Polygyny

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Ted Bergstrom (University of California, Santa Barbara)

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Ted Bergstrom

Abstract

About 80% of all societies recorded by anthropologists are polygynous (men have many wives). Even our own society is less monogamous than claimed. This paper attempts to explain such mysteries as why bride prices and dowries are not ``opposites'', why polygamous societies are usually characterized by positive bride prices and dowry is mainly confined to monogamous societies, why polyandry (women having multiple husbands) is rare, but not extinct, and why the more you have to pay for a wife the better you will treat her.

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Publisher Info
Paper provided by Department of Economics, UC Santa Barbara in its series University of California at Santa Barbara, Economics Working Paper Series with number 1994A.

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Date of creation: 25 Aug 1994
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Handle: RePEc:cdl:ucsbec:1994a

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Other versions of this item:

Paper
- Theodore C. Bergstrom, . "On the Economics of Polygyny," ELSE working papers 042, ESRC Centre on Economics Learning and Social Evolution.
- Ted Bergstrom, 1994. "On the Economics of Polygyny," Microeconomics 9410001, EconWPA. [Downloadable!]
- Ted Bergstrom, 1994. "On the Economics of Polygyny," Papers _026, University of Michigan, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
- Ted Bergstrom, . "On the Economic of Polygyny," Papers _032, University of Michigan, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]

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Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

Nils-Petter Lagerlof, 2002. "Sex, Equality, and Growth (in that order)," GE, Growth, Math methods 0212001, EconWPA. [Downloadable!]
Other versions:
- Nils-Petter Lagerloef, 2003. "Sex, Equality, and Growth (in that order)," Macroeconomics 0310014, EconWPA. [Downloadable!]
- Nils-Petter Lagerlof, 2002. "Sex, Equality, and Growth (in that order)," Macroeconomics 0212012, EconWPA. [Downloadable!]
Gillian Hamilton & Aloysius Siow, 1999. "Marriage and Fertility in a Catholic Society: Eighteenth-Century Quebec," Working Papers siow-99-01, University of Toronto, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
Theodore C. Bergstrom, 1995. "Economics in a Family Way," Labor and Demography 9507002, EconWPA, revised 06 Feb 1996. [Downloadable!]
Other versions:
- Ted Bergstrom, 1995. "Economic in a Family Way," Papers _028, University of Michigan, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
- Bergstrom, T., 1995. "Economics of a Family Way," Papers 95-07, Michigan - Center for Research on Economic & Social Theory.
- Ted Bergstrom, 1996. "Economics in a Family Way," University of California at Santa Barbara, Economics Working Paper Series 1996B, Department of Economics, UC Santa Barbara. [Downloadable!]
- Theodore C. Bergstrom, . "Economics in a Family Way," ELSE working papers 018, ESRC Centre on Economics Learning and Social Evolution.
- Theodore C. Bergstrom, 1996. "Economics in a Family Way," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 34(4), pages 1903-1934, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Aloysius Siow, 1996. "Differential Fecundity, Markets and Gender Roles," Working Papers siow-96-01, University of Toronto, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
Other versions:
- Aloysius Siow, 1998. "Differential Fecundity, Markets, and Gender Roles," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 106(2), pages 334-354, April. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Gould, Eric D. & Moav, Omer & Simhon, Avi, 2003. "The Mystery Of Monogamy," Discussion Papers 14992, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Department of Agricultural Economics and Management. [Downloadable!]
Other versions:
- Avi Simhon & Eric D. Gould & Omer Moav, 2005. "The Mystery of Monogamy," 2005 Meeting Papers 370, Society for Economic Dynamics. [Downloadable!]
- Gould, Eric D & Moav, Omer & Simhon, Avi, 2004. "The Mystery of Monogamy," CEPR Discussion Papers 4803, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
- Eric D. Gould & Omer Moav & Avi Simhon, 2008. "The Mystery of Monogamy," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 98(1), pages 333-57, March. [Downloadable!]

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