Property rights and gender bias: evidence from land reform in West Bengal
Files
Accepted manuscript
Date
DOI
Authors
Bhalotra, Sonia R.
Chakravarty, Abhishek
Mookherjee, Dilip
Pino, Francisco J.
Version
Accepted manuscript
OA Version
Citation
Sonia R Bhalotra, Abhishek Chakravarty, Dilip Mookherjee, Francisco J Pino. "Property Rights and Gender Bias: Evidence from Land Reform in West Bengal." American Economic Journal: Applied Economics 11(2):205-37 Apr 2019 10.1257/app.20160262
Abstract
While land reforms are typically pursued in order to raise productivity and reduce inequality across households, an unintended consequence may be increased within-household gender inequality. We analyse a tenancy registration programme in West Bengal, and find that it increased child survival and reduced fertility. However, we also find that it intensified son preference in families without a first-born son to inherit the land title. These families exhibit no reduction in fertility, an increase in the probability that a subsequent birth is male, and a substantial increase in the survival advantage of subsequent sons over daughters.