Economics and the marriage wars

Menzies, GD; Hay, D

Economics and the marriage wars

Menzies, GD

Hay, D

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Publisher:: Association of Christian Economists
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Faith and Economics, 2008, 51 (Spring), pp. 1 - 29
Issue Date:: 2008-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Menzies, GD https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4133-2282	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Hay, D	en_US
dc.date.issued	2008-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Faith and Economics, 2008, 51 (Spring), pp. 1 - 29	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0896-307X	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/9972
dc.description.abstract	We critique the economic analysis of marriage and divorce descending from Becker (1981): we call this the "economic" approach. Marriage is based on the "productive" gains available from specialization in market production and household production, and on the production of children. ln the more recent development of the theory, the husband and wife bargain over the gains. This analysis contrasts with the "covenant" view of marriage which is based on the Judea-Christian tradition. The ethical focus of the covenant view is self-giving love, which is not dependent on economic efficiency. We suggest that the changing attitudes to marriage and divorce in the West may reflect "motivation crowding out," as the economic approach erodes the values underpinning the covenant view. Marriage, like the monarchy over the last three centuries, remains popular in many quarters. But the mere existence of an institution can mask its wholesale transformation.	en_US
dc.publisher	Association of Christian Economists	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Faith and Economics	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1111/sjoe.12065	en_US
dc.title	Economics and the marriage wars	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	Spring	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	51	en_US
utslib.for	1401 Economic Theory	en_US
utslib.for	1499 Other Economics	en_US
utslib.for	2204 Religion and Religious Studies	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Business
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Business/Economics Discipline
utslib.copyright.status	open_access
pubs.consider-herdc	true	en_US
pubs.issue	Spring	en_US
pubs.volume	51	en_US

Abstract:

We critique the economic analysis of marriage and divorce descending from Becker (1981): we call this the "economic" approach. Marriage is based on the "productive" gains available from specialization in market production and household production, and on the production of children. ln the more recent development of the theory, the husband and wife bargain over the gains. This analysis contrasts with the "covenant" view of marriage which is based on the Judea-Christian tradition. The ethical focus of the covenant view is self-giving love, which is not dependent on economic efficiency. We suggest that the changing attitudes to marriage and divorce in the West may reflect "motivation crowding out," as the economic approach erodes the values underpinning the covenant view. Marriage, like the monarchy over the last three centuries, remains popular in many quarters. But the mere existence of an institution can mask its wholesale transformation.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/9972