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Suicide and Property Rights in India

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  • Siwan Anderson
  • Garance Genicot

Abstract

This paper studies the impact of female property rights on male and female suicide rates in India. Using state level variation in legal changes to women's property rights, we show that better property rights for women are associated with a decrease in the difference between female and male suicide rates, but an increase in both male and female suicides. We conjecture that increasing female property rights increased conflict within household and this increased conflict resulted in more suicides among both men and women in India. Using individual level data on domestic violence we find evidence that increased property rights for women did increase the incidence of wife beating in India. A model of intra-household bargaining with asymmetric information and costly conflict is consistent with these findings.

Suggested Citation

  • Siwan Anderson & Garance Genicot, 2014. "Suicide and Property Rights in India," NBER Working Papers 19978, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:19978
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D1 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior
    • K36 - Law and Economics - - Other Substantive Areas of Law - - - Family and Personal Law
    • O1 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development

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