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Cultural Transmission, Property Rights, and Treatment of the Elderly

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  • Matthew J. Baker
  • Joyce P. Jacobsen

Abstract

We examine how production and the development of property rights interact with cultural transmission to shape the treatment of the elderly across societies. Our model posits that respect for the elderly arises endogenously: parents invest in cultivating cultural values in their children, who later reciprocate in proportion to this investment. We show that this model is functionally equivalent to one in which cultural goods are transferred by the elderly. We focus on the distinct roles of property rights, finding that while insecure output rights may promote elderly welfare, secure rights over productive resources can have comparable benefits. The model reveals a nonlinear relationship between cultural sophistication, property rights, and economic factors such as the capital and land intensity of production, driving variations in elderly well-being across societies. Finally, we consider how the model suggests demographic, technological, and policy changes influence elderly well-being across the spectrum of development.

Suggested Citation

  • Matthew J. Baker & Joyce P. Jacobsen, 2024. "Cultural Transmission, Property Rights, and Treatment of the Elderly," Papers 2407.09638, arXiv.org, revised Feb 2025.
    • Handle: RePEc:arx:papers:2407.09638
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth
    • D15 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Intertemporal Household Choice; Life Cycle Models and Saving
    • J14 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of the Elderly; Economics of the Handicapped; Non-Labor Market Discrimination
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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