Dowry
A dowry is the transfer of property, goods, or money from the bride's family to the groom and/or his family as part of a marriage arrangement. This tradition is thought to provide financial security for the bride, particularly in cases of divorce or widowhood, and can also serve to support the couple's future home and children. While historically a common practice across various cultures, dowries remain prevalent in certain regions of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, particularly where women's employment opportunities are limited. The origins of the dowry custom date back thousands of years, with references found in ancient texts like the Babylonian Code of Hammurabi. However, the practice has faced significant criticism due to its association with violence against women, particularly in countries like India, where dowry demands can lead to severe consequences, including abuse and even death. Despite government efforts to outlaw dowries, the tradition persists in many communities, often placing financial burdens on families, especially those with daughters. As societal attitudes evolve, the dowry system continues to be a topic of debate, highlighting complex intersections of tradition, gender, and human rights.
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Subject Terms
Dowry
A dowry is a collection of property, goods, or money provided by a prospective bride's family to a prospective groom and/or his family in exchange for a woman's hand in marriage. The custom is believed to provide a bride with a sense of comfort and security in the event of dissolution of marriage or widowhood. Upon the end of a marriage or the death of her husband, the bride inherits the dowry. A dowry can also be used to help set up a couple's home and support future children. While less common, in some cultures, the groom's family paid a dowry to the bride's family. Although largely an antiquated custom in many areas of the world, dowries are still practiced in the twenty-first century in parts of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East—particularly in regions where it is rare for a woman to work outside the home. Unfortunately, dowries are sometimes linked to violence against women.
History
In Sanskrit, the word dowry comes from varadakshina, which means "amount given to the groom." The custom of financial exchanges at the time of marriage dates back to about 3000 BCE. When a father chose a suitor for his daughter, he first met with the father of the prospective groom to discuss the financial arrangements. The bride's father generally offered the groom's family something of value, such as livestock, land, jewelry, or money. The offering was made as a hedge against divorce and to provide the bride with financial compensation in the event that the marriage did not survive.
The concept of the dowry was laid out in ancient law books, including the Babylonian Code of Hammurabi, which dates back to 1754 BCE. At that time, daughters did not inherit much from their fathers' estates, but they did get a dowry when they married. The gift was intended to provide the bride with as much lifetime security as her family could afford. It was customary for her husband to manage the dowry as part of the family estate.
A dowry was not always paid to the groom's family. The rules surrounding the dowry changed to meet the needs of the culture at the time and varied throughout the world. It shifted from paying the groom's family to paying the bride's family and vice versa. For example, in parts of the world where single men outnumbered single women, a dowry paid to the bride's family would be important to ensure a groom received a bride.
The Indian epic Ramayana of about 300 BCE explains how Sita paid a dowry to marry Rama. In ancient Greece, the groom's family was expected to pay a dowry to the bride's family. In addition, any property that a bride brought to the marriage remained hers. A traditional dowry was used in classical Greece and the early Roman Empire. A dowry was paid to the bride's family in the later Roman Empire and in China about 200 CE. By 600 in China, the bride's family paid a dowry to the groom's family, but about the same time, the Koran, the Islamic holy book, required men to provide a dowry for a bride.
In medieval Europe, a dowry helped enhance a woman's desirability, build power and wealth in aristocratic families, and settle border or policy disputes. Some families used the dowry to ensure strong family bloodlines. Failure to provide a proper dowry could result in calling off a marriage. In the sixteenth century in North America, several Native American tribes, such as the Iroquois, used dowries as part of the marriage contract. Deer or animal hides were given in exchange for the marriage.
Prior to the seventeenth century, marriage was viewed as a means to preserve power and wealth. It was uncommon for couples to marry for love. Enlightenment thinkers believed that life was about the pursuit of happiness, and the trend of marrying for love grew in the centuries that followed. The Industrial Revolution helped spur middle-class growth, giving people more financial freedom. Instead of paying a dowry for a spouse, people selected their own spouses and paid for their own weddings—with or without the approval of their parents. As the twentieth century progressed and the women's rights movement began to take hold, a woman expected to be viewed as her husband's equal and not as his property. The concept of dowry fell out of favor in many parts of the world in the twenty-first century.
Impact
The dowry system is no longer common practice in Western cultures. It remains prevalent in India, Southeast Asia, and parts of the Middle East, despite government attempts to regulate and outlaw it because of the abuses and violence associated with the practice. In these places, women are subjected to violence and torture, and in some cases, driven to suicide because of dowry demands.
In many counties, it is not uncommon for the parents of girls to start saving for her dowry from the moment she is born, even if it creates a financial burden for families who lack the means. Consequently, families of modest means might prefer to save for a daughter's dowry instead of her education. Another problem is the dowry price itself, which can be affected by several factors. A groom's parents can set their own terms. For example, they can charge higher dowries for grooms who are educated or have desirable physical characteristics.
In the twenty-first century, several human rights organizations have gotten involved in attempts to outlaw the practice—largely due to cases of violence against women and children related to her dowry. Many Asian countries have reported high rates of female infanticide because female children are often viewed as burdens to their families. It is often preferable to have a male child because he will be able to earn and provide for his family and not require the payment of a dowry when the time comes for marriage.
In India, in particular, where the practice of the dowry is linked to high rates of violence against women, the country established anti-dowry laws. However, the practice continued. After former Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi refused to accept a dowry from the parents of her son's fiancée, people began to take notice of the anti-dowry laws and demand enforcement. The Indian government also established task forces to investigate dowry disputes and reports of violence. The country continues to enforce and amend anti-dowry legislation into the early 2020s though it has not eliminated the use of dowries. In fact, despite laws against dowries, the country still struggles with dowry-related deaths. In 2015, government data showed that 7,634 women were killed in dowry-related incidents. Dowry customs continue to be practiced in India and elsewhere.
Bibliography
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