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The Effects Of Education On Fertility: Evidence From Taiwan

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  • Kamhon Kan
  • Myoung‐Jae Lee

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of women's education on fertility. For identification, we use the 1968 compulsory education law change in Taiwan, which generated a regression discontinuity design (RDD) setting. We use the whole population of women from the 1980 and 2010 Population Censuses. Results of our RDD estimation using the exact date of birth suggest that the law change was effective in boosting women's education, but it did not have any impact on fertility. This is in stark contrast to most previous studies using only the birth year as the running variable or using it to construct instruments, which find that women's education depresses fertility. This study demonstrates that using a discrete running variable in RDD may generate a false discontinuity for an otherwise continuous regression function. (JEL J13, C21, I2)

Suggested Citation

  • Kamhon Kan & Myoung‐Jae Lee, 2018. "The Effects Of Education On Fertility: Evidence From Taiwan," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 56(1), pages 343-357, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ecinqu:v:56:y:2018:i:1:p:343-357
    DOI: 10.1111/ecin.12492
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    3. Sasiwimon Warunsiri Paweenawat & Lusi Liao, 2019. "“Gold Miss†or “Earthy Mom†? Evidence from Thailand," PIER Discussion Papers 110, Puey Ungphakorn Institute for Economic Research.
    4. Prabal K. De & Muhammed Tümay, 2024. "Education and reproductive health: evidence from schooling expansion in Turkey," International Journal of Health Economics and Management, Springer, vol. 24(2), pages 301-331, June.
    5. Shuang Chen, 2022. "The Positive Effect of Women’s Education on Fertility in Low-Fertility China," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 38(1), pages 125-161, March.
    6. Kountouris, Yiannis, 2020. "Higher education and fertility: Evidence from reforms in Greece," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    7. Myoung-jae Lee & Yasuyuki Sawada, 2020. "Review on Difference in Differences," Korean Economic Review, Korean Economic Association, vol. 36, pages 135-173.
    8. Salome Maseki & Hisahiro Naito, 2019. "Does Education Reduce Fertility in a Low Income Country ? Evidence based on Fuzzy Regression Discontinuity Design in Tanzania," Tsukuba Economics Working Papers 2019-001, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Tsukuba.
    9. Lawson, Nicholas & Spears, Dean, 2021. "Population Externalities and Optimal Social Policy," SocArXiv 6rv34, Center for Open Science.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • C21 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Cross-Sectional Models; Spatial Models; Treatment Effect Models
    • I2 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education

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