Raising Children to Work Hard: Altruism, Work Norms, and Social Insurance

S-Tier
Journal: Quarterly Journal of Economics
Year: 2006
Volume: 121
Issue: 4
Pages: 1473-1503

Score contribution per author:

4.022 = (α=2.01 / 2 authors) × 4.0x S-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

Empirically, disincentive effects on work of generous welfare state arrangements tend to appear with a substantial time lag. One explanation is that norms concerning work and benefit dependency delay such effects. We model altruistic parents' economic incentives for instilling such work norms in their children. Anticipated economic support from parents may reduce work effort, and parental altruism makes threats to withdraw such support noncredible. Instilling norms mitigates this problem. However, generous social insurance arrangements tend to weaken parents' incentives to instill such norms in their children. We find empirical support for this prediction.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:oup:qjecon:v:121:y:2006:i:4:p:1473-1503.
Journal Field
General
Author Count
2
Added to Database
2026-01-25