When Family Property Becomes Individual Property: Intrahousehold Property Ownership and Women's Well‐Being in China

Abstract

Objective This study examines the impact of the 2011 judicial interpretation to the Chinese Marriage Law, which altered property rights, on the well‐being of husbands and wives. Background Although the focus on macro‐level gender inequality continues, relatively few studies have focused on intrahousehold gender inequality in China. Method Using data from the China Family Panel Studies (80,162 observations of 22,541 individuals), a nationally representative survey of Chinese households, this study uses a difference‐in‐differences strategy to compare the outcomes of spouses in households where only the husband's name is on the deed with those where the spouses have equal homeownership status. Results In the short term, the 2011 judicial interpretation to the Marriage Law led to diminished well‐being for women in a typical Chinese household where the deed to the marital home is in the husband's name only. However, in the long term, the adverse effect for women weakened, which is likely because couples turned to adaptive behaviors more in line with premarital agreements and traditional practices, nullifying any effects caused by the reform. No significant effects of the reform were found for men living households where only the wife's name is on the deed. Conclusion This study demonstrates how a seemingly gender‐neutral policy can generate gendered consequences. It is therefore critical that policy makers consider the implications of intrahousehold inequality.

The gender gap in the ownership of promising land

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Premarital cohabitation and the gendered division of household labor in China

“…Yet, traditional values and norms concerning gender roles remain influential in Chinese families (Zhang et al, 2007). In particular, families in China continue to be characterized by an asymmetric division of domestic labor, suggesting that cultural norms that emphasize gender specialization persistently guide family relations in China (Raymo et al, 2015; Zang, 2020). In Western societies, unequal shares of housework often lead to perceived unfairness and marital dissatisfaction, especially in countries with more egalitarian gender norms (Coltrane, 2000; Greenstein, 2009).…”

How much, and why? A critical introduction to the theory and quantitative analysis of intra-household resource distribution

“…This makes it possible to analyse and predict the impact of rules and institutions -such as divorce laws, property laws, tax and benefit payments, support from extended family or services for domestic violence survivors -on intra-household resource allocation. Thus, a strategic interaction model can explain, for example, how and why women and girls might be made better off by policies paying child benefits to mothers (Lundberg et al, 1997), or worse off by policies limiting their opportunities to own property (Zhang, 2020). This approach can explain how a change in divorce laws can affect resource allocation among still-married couples, by changing the credibility of a divorce threat -and why, if it is not credible, a change in divorce laws might not matter.…”