Why Marry?
Love, and what else?
Prof. Goldstein
Economic Demography
Econ/Demog C175
Week 11, Lecture A
UC Berkeley
Spring 2025
, Agenda
• Becker’s theory of “gains to marriage”
– Many advantages
– Specialization
• Divorce
, A note on “Why” vs. “why not”
• Becker tries to explain “why marry”
• Contrast with Malthus approach -- which
everyone is assumed to want.
• Malthus: “why not?” Answer: "can't afford
it"
, In Malthus’s world why do
people want to marry?
A. So they can have sex
B. Because they can afford to
C. So they can have children
D. To take advantage of economies of scale
E. In order to gain social status
Love, and what else?
Prof. Goldstein
Economic Demography
Econ/Demog C175
Week 11, Lecture A
UC Berkeley
Spring 2025
, Agenda
• Becker’s theory of “gains to marriage”
– Many advantages
– Specialization
• Divorce
, A note on “Why” vs. “why not”
• Becker tries to explain “why marry”
• Contrast with Malthus approach -- which
everyone is assumed to want.
• Malthus: “why not?” Answer: "can't afford
it"
, In Malthus’s world why do
people want to marry?
A. So they can have sex
B. Because they can afford to
C. So they can have children
D. To take advantage of economies of scale
E. In order to gain social status
