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Strategic Fertility, Education Choices, and Conflicts in Deeply Divided Societies

Author

Listed:
  • Emeline Bezin

    (PSE - Paris School of Economics - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École nationale des ponts et chaussées - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement, PJSE - Paris Jourdan Sciences Economiques - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École nationale des ponts et chaussées - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement)

  • Bastien Chabé-Ferret

    (Middlesex University)

  • David de la Croix

    (UCL - Université Catholique de Louvain = Catholic University of Louvain)

Abstract

Fertility becomes a strategic choice for minorities when having a larger share of the population helps to increase power. If parents invest resources to educate their children, then raising fertility for strategic reasons might be at the cost of future human capital. We dispel this view using census data from several developing countries. We show that religious and ethnic minorities in Indonesia, China, and Malaysia tend to invest more in both education and fertility compared to larger groups. Solving for the Nash equilibrium of an appropriation game between two groups with education and fertility being prescribed as group-specific behavioral norms, we offer a rationale for the observed patterns provided that human capital is an important input to appropriation.

Suggested Citation

  • Emeline Bezin & Bastien Chabé-Ferret & David de la Croix, 2025. "Strategic Fertility, Education Choices, and Conflicts in Deeply Divided Societies," Post-Print hal-04877862, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04877862
    DOI: 10.1093/jeea/jvae027
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://cnrs.hal.science/hal-04877862v1
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    2. Seung-Hun Chung & Neha Deopa & Kritika Saxena & Lyman Stone, 2025. "Religiously inspired baby boom: evidence from Georgia," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 38(1), pages 1-31, March.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D74 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Conflict; Conflict Resolution; Alliances; Revolutions
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination

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