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V Bhaskar, The Demographic Transition and the Position of Women: a Marriage Market Perspective, The Economic Journal, Volume 129, Issue 624, November 2019, Pages 2999–3024, https://doi.org/10.1093/ej/uez027
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Abstract
Secular trends in cohort size cause large marriage market imbalances due to the age gap at marriage between men and women. Positive cohort growth adversely affects women in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Secular decline improves their position in East Asia. I show that the age gap at marriage will not adjust in order to equilibrate the marriage market in response to persistent imbalances, even though it accommodates transitory shocks. This implies large distributional consequences on the sexes, and may increase dowries. I also analyse transition dynamics between steady states and examine how age gaps and transfers adjust in the transition.