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War, Marriage Markets, and the Sex Ratio at Birth

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  • Dirk Bethmann
  • Michael Kvasnicka

Abstract

In belligerent countries, male-to-female sex ratios at birth increased during and shortly after the two world wars. These rises occurred amidst dramatically changed marriage-market conditions caused by war-related declines in adult sex ratios, and still defy explanation. Based on county-level census data for the German state of Bavaria in the years just before and immediately after World War II, we explore the reduced-form relationship between changes in marriage-market tightness (the adult sex ratio) and changes in the offspring sex ratio, and we discuss potential mechanisms that might link the two. Our results suggest that war-induced shortfalls of men significantly increased the percentage of boys among newborns.

Suggested Citation

  • Dirk Bethmann & Michael Kvasnicka, 2014. "War, Marriage Markets, and the Sex Ratio at Birth," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 116(3), pages 859-877, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:scandj:v:116:y:2014:i:3:p:859-877
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/sjoe.12065
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    Cited by:

    1. Bhaskar, V. & Li, Wenchao & Yi, Junjian, 2025. "Strategic parental investments in a competitive marriage market," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    2. Rebeca Echavarri, 2022. "Neonatal discrimination and excess female mortality in childhood in Spain in the first half of the twentieth century," Cliometrica, Journal of Historical Economics and Econometric History, Association Française de Cliométrie (AFC), vol. 16(1), pages 79-104, January.
    3. Goli, Srinivas & Mavisakalyan, Astghik & Rammohan, Anu & Vu, Loan, 2022. "Conflicts and son preference: Micro-level evidence from 58 countries," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 46(C).
    4. Astghik Mavisakalyan & Anna Minasyan, 2023. "The Role of Conflict in Sex Discrimination: The Case of Missing Girls," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 71(2), pages 443-484.
    5. Hicks, Daniel L., 2013. "War and the political zeitgeist: Evidence from the history of female suffrage," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 60-81.
    6. La Mattina, Giulia, 2017. "Civil conflict, domestic violence and intra-household bargaining in post-genocide Rwanda," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 168-198.

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