Journal Article
Marrying up: the role of sex ratio in assortative matching
Publication details
Summary
We assemble a novel dataset to study the impact of male scarcity on
marital assortative matching and other marriage market outcomes
using the large shock that WWI caused to the number of French men.
Using a difference-in-differences approach, we find that postwar in
regions with higher mortality rates: men were less likely to marry
women of lower social classes; men were more likely and women
less likely to marry; out-of-wedlock births increased; divorce rates
decreased; and the age gap decreased. These findings are consistent
with men improving their position in the marriage market as they
become scarcer.
Notes
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