This paper tests three hypotheses concerning intra-household resource allocation in rural
China. First, whether increasing the women's bargaining power alters household expenditure
patterns. Second, whether households allocate fewer resources to daughters than to sons.
Third, whether increasing the bargaining power of women reduces pro-boy discrimination.
We find that expenditure patterns do vary with proxies for women's bargaining power. Proboy
discrimination is suggested by: lower female outlay equivalent ratios for adult goods;
greater sensitivity of household health spending to young boys than to young girls; and high
male sex ratios. No evidence is found to support the third hypothesis.