Social Mechanisms for Pricey Marriage Presents,or Betrothal Gifts in the Countryside
The rise and rapid increase of pricey marriage presents in the countryside has brought forth many negative impacts on rural fami-lies,communities as well as village administration.To address this issue and its impacts,it is necessary to understand leading social mecha-nisms for shaping the issue.It is found that there are five mechanisms that are at play:the marriage squeeze,the attributes of betrothal gifts,the proprietorship of marriage presents,the responsibilities in intergenerational relationships,and the marriage markets.It appears that the rise of pricey betrothal gifts spring up higher when there is a severer squeeze on marriage,resulting in marriage-age men who would have to pay higher marriage presents.Moreover,in places where there is a stronger capacity to pay marriage presents,demands for them appear to be more acceptable.That is when these gifts are ultimately managed by the newly weds,such outcome would also increase the ability of the bride and her family to demand more gifts.Furthermore,in places where there is a stronger sense of intergenerational responsibilities,the bride side can often demand high-priced marriage presents with specific emphasis.When the mechanisms of marriage markets dominate the dependency of marriages to the operation of markets,pricey betrothal gifts highly likely come into play.To address this issue requires the promotion of frugality as part of marriage customs,against endless competition in comparison.When there is a social resistance to extreme and unethical marriage practices,an outcome is the promotion of family harmony and healthy social customs and practices.
pricey marriage presents or betrothal giftsmarriage marketscircle of intermarriagesmarriage squeezebachelor as naked sticksocial mechanism
NETL
NSTL
万方数据
