The Household Life Cycle and Economic Mobility in Rural Bangladesh

In rural Bangladesh domestic organization is patriarchal ownership of land is concentrated among men and inheritance customs and laws favor sons. Sons establish their new households soon after marriage usually about 28 and they then assume independent authority while usually being given right to a portion of their fathers land. A household cycle ends at the death of the patriach in each household. Household expansion is achieved through reproduction; the average number of surviving children is 5.5 per family. Several features link the demographic evolution of the household to its economic fortunes: 1) the household depends on labor supplied by its members and sons particularly provide parents with economic returns 2) in time of crisis (illness of the patriach flood)…