This book examines the impact of marriage on labor force participation, productivity at work, savings, government programs, and many other aspects of the economy. Lawmakers, legal scholars, sociologists, psychologists, spiritual leaders and all concerned with threats to the institution of marriage and the values that it embodies benefit from this reexamination of a basic Western institution via the lens of professional economists.

Shoshana Grossbard, a leading scholar in this field, has selected the most influential classic and recent articles which highlight the economic importance of marriage and related institutions. The volume first considers marriage and related outcomes, including cohabitation, matching, brideprice and dowry, and law and economic questions relating to divorce. It then investigates the consequences of marriage and marriage markets for labour supply, household production, wages, consumption, household finance, education and fertility. A clear original introduction by the editor provides an illuminating guide to the selected articles and to their place within the economic and demographic literature.36 articles, dating from 1971 to 2015 Contributors include: G.A. Akerlof, G.S. Becker, B.R. Bergmann, P.-A. Chiappori, W. Darity, S. Lundberg, M.B. McElroy, B. Stevenson, J. Wolfers, J.L. Yellen

This book examines the impact of marriage on labor force participation, productivity at work, savings, government programs, and many other aspects of the economy. Lawmakers, legal scholars, sociologists, psychologists, spiritual leaders and all concerned with threats to the institution of marriage and the values that it embodies benefit from this reexamination of a basic Western institution via the lens of professional economists.