| Chapter I investigates how the fertility, marriage and labor supply decisions of American women changed between 1870 and 1930. The proposed explanation for the historical trends is based on the premise that gradual improvements in technology drew single women into the labor market in increasing numbers. The opportunity to earn own income and make own consumption and dating decisions strengthened young women's bargaining position on the marriage market which subsequently affected other areas of life: timing of marriage, marital fertility, labor supply in marriage and intra-household resource allocation.; Chapters II and III look at the trends in living standards and the level of inequality under early Communism in Czechoslovakia, using a newly collected sample of anthropometric evidence. As non-economic indicators of living standards, heights and weight of adolescent boys from the schools in Liberec show that living standards were improving during the 1950s and early 1960s but were not immune to fluctuations due to business cycle. Also, inequality in living standards seems to have persisted in spite of strong pro-egalitarian government policies. The nature of short-term growth of the Liberec boys (the seasonal cycle) also suggests that the supply of crucial nutrients was perhaps irregular and erratic, particularly during the spring months. |
