Economic Inequality In and Outside of Marriage: Individual Resources and Institutional Context

Using cross-nationally comparative data from 15 country contexts, we focus on economic inequality at the national-level and its direct and moderating effects on the likelihood of couples having equal versus unequal arrangements for managing money. Confirming earlier research and theory, we find that the gendered context matters. Our results also show that the overall level of economic inequality in a country shapes the likelihood of having equal versus unequal money arrangements in marriage. All three measures of economic inequality—national income inequality, public spending on social programs, and ideological support for inequality—are significantly related to how couples manage their money. Within a context which practices and supports economic inequality, couples themselves are more likely to practice economic inequality.