Rising dowry expenditure in post green revolution era in Punjab

Abstract

The present study was carried out in three cultural zones of Punjab viz. Malwa, Doaba and Majha. The data were collected personally from the two generations, comprising of mother-in-laws (G1) and daughter-in-laws (G2) constituting sample of 360 respondents each. The study showed that with the increase in Agricultural developments and other modernizing forces, such as consumerism, privatization, commercialization etc. a sharp increase is witnessed in dowry. However, even after more than forty years of its prohibition, the practice has spread and has increasingly ingrained itself in the institution of marriage. Further, the study revealed the scourge of dowry has percolated to all the sections of society. Also, while witnessing the real expenditure on marriages overtime, the percentage change shows there is a negative change in LES that is, purchasing power is declining and thus spending less on marriages overtime but in case of MES the purchasing power increased but not at a sharp rate as compared to HES. There is a sharp and a vast increase in High economic group over the years. Overall, it was concluded that with agricultural and technological developments the rich is extravagantly spending on marriages but expenditure incurred on marriages is out of reach of a common man as rich is getting richer and poor is getting poorer day by day.