The education gender gap and the demographic transition in developing countries
1
Osaka University [Osaka]
2 IGB - Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries
3 MCC - Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change
4 CES - Centre d'économie de la Sorbonne
5 Nazarbayev University [Kazakhstan]
6 OSC - Observatoire sociologique du changement (Sciences Po, CNRS)
2 IGB - Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries
3 MCC - Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change
4 CES - Centre d'économie de la Sorbonne
5 Nazarbayev University [Kazakhstan]
6 OSC - Observatoire sociologique du changement (Sciences Po, CNRS)
Julio Dávila
- Fonction : Auteur
- PersonId : 742518
- IdHAL : julio-davila
- IdRef : 097661961
Angela Greulich
- Fonction : Auteur
- PersonId : 12690
- IdHAL : angela-greulich
- ORCID : 0000-0002-5273-9785
- IdRef : 146767845
Résumé
This paper explores, theoretically and empirically, the role of the declining gender gap in education in the demographic transition and the emergence of modern economic growth. Specifically, the paper develops a model in the tradition of the unified growth theory that captures and interconnects the key empirical features of the demographic transition, the decline in gender gap in education, and the transition to sustained growth across less-developed economies. The mechanism on which the model relies comprises several interplaying components. First, technological progress reduces housework time through the creation and diffusion of labor-saving home appliances, which frees women’s time for childrearing, resulting in an initial increase in fertility, as well as in labor-force participation. Second, due to the possibly higher female labor-force participation as housework time decreases, households invest relatively more in their daughters’ education, given its higher return following the initial imbalance. This improves gender equality in education and increases the opportunity cost of childrearing, which leads to a subsequent decrease in fertility. Third and finally, the decrease in the education gender gap through higher investment in daughters’ education increases average human capital, thus accelerating technological progress in turn. This reinforcing loop results in the transition to a new fertility regime and accelerated economic growth. We provide the empirical confirmation of the model’s predictions using data from developing countries in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Format du dépôt | Notice |
---|---|
Type de dépôt | Article dans une revue |
Résumé |
en
This paper explores, theoretically and empirically, the role of the declining gender gap in education in the demographic transition and the emergence of modern economic growth. Specifically, the paper develops a model in the tradition of the unified growth theory that captures and interconnects the key empirical features of the demographic transition, the decline in gender gap in education, and the transition to sustained growth across less-developed economies. The mechanism on which the model relies comprises several interplaying components. First, technological progress reduces housework time through the creation and diffusion of labor-saving home appliances, which frees women’s time for childrearing, resulting in an initial increase in fertility, as well as in labor-force participation. Second, due to the possibly higher female labor-force participation as housework time decreases, households invest relatively more in their daughters’ education, given its higher return following the initial imbalance. This improves gender equality in education and increases the opportunity cost of childrearing, which leads to a subsequent decrease in fertility. Third and finally, the decrease in the education gender gap through higher investment in daughters’ education increases average human capital, thus accelerating technological progress in turn. This reinforcing loop results in the transition to a new fertility regime and accelerated economic growth. We provide the empirical confirmation of the model’s predictions using data from developing countries in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
|
Titre |
en
The education gender gap and the demographic transition in developing countries
|
Auteur(s) |
Nguyen Thang Dao
1, 2, 3
, Julio Dávila
4, 5
, Angela Greulich
6
1
Osaka University [Osaka]
( 206804 )
- 1-1 Yamadaoka, Suita,Osaka 565-0871
- Japon
2
IGB -
Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries
( 553866 )
- Berlin-Friedrichshagen
Neuglobsow
Berlin-Adlershof
Berlin Center for Genomics in Biodiversity Research (BeGenDiv)
- Allemagne
3
MCC -
Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change
( 445441 )
- EUREF Campus 19
Torgauer Straße 12-15
10829 Berlin
GERMANY
- Allemagne
4
CES -
Centre d'économie de la Sorbonne
( 15080 )
- Maison des Sciences Économiques - 106-112 Boulevard de l'Hôpital - 75647 Paris Cedex 13
- France
5
Nazarbayev University [Kazakhstan]
( 355543 )
- 53 Kabanbay Batyr Ave, Astana, Republic of Kazakhstan, 010000
- Kazakhstan
6
OSC -
Observatoire sociologique du changement (Sciences Po, CNRS)
( 1010 )
- 27, rue Saint-Guillaume
75337 Paris Cedex 07
- France
|
Langue du document |
Anglais
|
Nom de la revue |
|
Vulgarisation |
Non
|
Comité de lecture |
Oui
|
Audience |
Internationale
|
Date de publication |
2021-04
|
Volume |
34
|
Numéro |
2
|
Page/Identifiant |
431-474
|
Financement |
|
Domaine(s) |
|
DOI | 10.1007/s00148-020-00787-1 |
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