Modernisation and son preference

Burgess, Robin and Zhuang, Juzhong (2000) Modernisation and son preference. Development Economics discussion paper; DEDPS 29 (DEDPS 29). Suntory and Toyota International Centres for Economics and Related Disciplines, London, UK.

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Abstract

Gaps in welfare attainment between boys and girls in China have attracted international attention. In this paper demand analysis is used to try and uncover the factors which may be driving the emergence of the gender gaps. Drawing on household expenditure data from a poor (Sichuan) and rich (Jiangsu) Chinese province we are able to test for different types of gender bias in intra-household allocation. Spending on health is found to be biased against young girls in the poor but not in the rich province, whereas there is a bias in education spending against older girls in both provinces. These biases in household spending were found to correspond to gender biases in mortality and enrolment outcomes as revealed in census data for the same year. Split sample analysis reveals that poorer, less diversified households exhibit stronger biases against girls. Taken together, the results suggest that son preference in rural China is not driven solely by cultural factors pointing to a potential role for public policy.

Item Type:	Monograph (Discussion Paper)
Official URL:	http://sticerd.lse.ac.uk
Additional Information:	© 2000 the authors
Divisions:	Economics STICERD
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HT Communities. Classes. Races H Social Sciences > HB Economic Theory L Education > L Education (General)
JEL classification:	J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J1 - Demographic Economics > J16 - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination D - Microeconomics > D1 - Household Behavior and Family Economics > D12 - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis D - Microeconomics > D1 - Household Behavior and Family Economics > D10 - General J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J7 - Labor Discrimination > J78 - Public Policy D - Microeconomics > D1 - Household Behavior and Family Economics > D11 - Consumer Economics: Theory I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I2 - Education > I21 - Analysis of Education I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I1 - Health > I12 - Health Production: Nutrition, Mortality, Morbidity, Suicide, Substance Abuse and Addiction, Disability, and Economic Behavior D - Microeconomics > D6 - Welfare Economics > D60 - General J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J7 - Labor Discrimination > J71 - Discrimination J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J1 - Demographic Economics > J18 - Public Policy
Date Deposited:	27 Apr 2007
Last Modified:	15 Sep 2023 22:47
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/2115

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