Journal of Economic Literature 1982
Families markets and social structures: an essay on Beckers "A Treatise on the Family"
Abstract
The author critically examines Beckers economic approach to the study of the family as presented in his book A Treatise on the Family. In the present paper the realism of the principal assumptions of Beckers theory and his treatment of institutional effects on the family are discussed. Aspects considered include Beckers theory of income distribution and intergenerational transfer; the prevalence of altruism in family transactions compared with that of selfishness in market transactions; the incidence of divorce; changes in family structure throughout history with particular attention to the role of cultural and institutional arrangements; and the use of empirical evidence to support the theories presented.
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