RURAL ECONOMY AND MALE MARRIAGE IN CHINA - JURONG, JIANGSU 1933

This article examines the relationship between economic and socio-demo graphic variables and male marriage patterns in 144 rural villages of Jurong county, Jiangsu province, China, in 1933. While marriage for fe males is young and universal, the incidence of male marriage varies gr eatly across villages, a variability that is consistent with an econom ic view of marriage. Marriage is associated with farm ownership, land quality and male literacy. The demographic context, as measured by the sex ratio of the marriageable population, is also important. High sex ratios in Jurong produce a chronic marriage squeeze for males. These ratios also correspond to the economic conditions of a locale.