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The quantity-Quality trade-Off of children In a developing country: Identification using chinese twins

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  • Hongbin Li
  • Junsen Zhang
  • Yi Zhu

Abstract

Testing the tradeoff between child quantity and quality within a family is complicated by the endogeneity of family size. Using data from the Chinese Population \r\nCensus, this paper examines the effect of family size on child educational attainment \r\nin China. We find a negative correlation between family size and child educational \r\nattainment, even after we control for the birth order effect. We then instrument family \r\nsize by the exogenous variation that is induced by a twin birth, and find a causal link \r\nbetween family size and children’s education. We also find that the effect of family \r\nsize is more evident in rural China, where the public education system is poor. These findings suggest a quantity-quality tradeoff of children in developing countries.
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Suggested Citation

  • Hongbin Li & Junsen Zhang & Yi Zhu, 2008. "The quantity-Quality trade-Off of children In a developing country: Identification using chinese twins," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 45(1), pages 223-243, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:demogr:v:45:y:2008:i:1:p:223-243
    DOI: 10.1353/dem.2008.0006
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J18 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Public Policy
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • O10 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - General

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