Social Incentives and the Enforcement of Law: Some Reflections

This short essay looks at the ineffectiveness of laws to control dowry in India from a law andeconomics perspective. This starts with an understanding of the economic and social incentives toprovide dowry

Ensuring the welfare of daughters through marriage (and not much through employment), and the struggle to get the 'best possible bridegroom’ play an important role in the increase in the dowry. This encouraged even communities that were not following this practice in the past to follow it currently. Hence there are private incentives for both givers and takers to continue with the practice and these work against the enforcement of the dowry prohibition act.

Recommended Citation

V. Santhakumar (2025) "Social Incentives and the Enforcement of Law: Some Reflections", GNLU Journal of Law And Economics : Volume V 2022, Issue I
Available at: https://gnlu.ac.in/GJLE/Publications/Social Incentives and the Enforcement of Law: Some Reflections