Intrahousehold Property Ownership and Marriage Dynamics in China: The Role of Educational Background

• In Event: 41003 - Institutions, Values, and Family Changes in Asia

Abstract

Wealth disparities within marriages affect women's bargaining power and marital satisfaction. However, the role of intrahousehold property rights, a symbolically and psychologically significant aspect of family wealth, remains understudied, especially in light of legal changes. Drawing on interview data from the Henan Migrant Family Study (N = 94), this research examines married individuals’ perceptions of the 2011 judicial interpretation of the Marriage Law, which, as part of the governmental response to rising divorce rates, removed the protection of property rights for spouses not listed on the deed. The paper also investigates how unequal property ownership influences marital dynamics and how these effects differ by educational background. Our findings revealed a salient divide between college-educated and less-educated individuals in their understanding of the legal changes. Intra-household unequal homeownership heightened insecurity and marital tension among less-educated women and coerced them into staying in unhappy marriages. In contrast, well-educated women without homeownership generally reported fewer adverse effects on marital dynamics, given that their greater socioeconomic resources provided a stronger sense of security.

Authors

• Ranran He, Purdue University

• Danielle Kane, Purdue University

• Bing Han, Purdue University