Similarity in difference in pre-industrial Eurasian marriage

The paper presents results from studies on marriage in local Eurasian populations that qualify and in some cases contradict the picture of the Malthusian East-West dichotomy. The design builds on the comparison of the outcome and determinants of marriage in seven local populations in pre-industrial Europe and Asia, using longitudinal individual-level data and event history analysis. When studying the mechanisms of marriage at the individual and household levels, we find the expected difference between Europe and Asia in the general pattern, but also variation within regions and much similarity in human behavior. We found a strong positive association between socioeconomic status and timing of marriage in all male populations regardless of the dominant household formation system, and for women in populations with nuclear households and inheriting women in Japan. Another important finding is that differences were much smaller than expected between the Asian and European populations in relation to gendered and parental authority and individualism. The gender difference in the timing of first marriage was quite similar in the European and Asian populations. We also found several indications of parental control or influence in relation to the marriage process in the European populations.