Abstract
This article tests the hypothesis that in the Nepal Himalayas the Tibetan sociocultural system (fraternal polyandry) reduces aggregate fertility whereas the Hindu system maximizes by early and virtually universal monogamous marriage. It is shown that while fraternal polyandry does reduce aggregate fertility, the hypothesis that it would lead to a substantially lower fertility rate is false because the effects of fraternal polyandry are roughly balanced by the effects of postwidowhood celibacy among the Hindus.
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This paper is the result of research undertaken in Nepal from 1975–1977. Support was provided in part by a National Science Foundation Dissertation Improvement Grant (BNS 76-00670) and grants from the Graduate Alumni Fund, Case Western Reserve University.