Self-enforcing intergenerational transfers and the provision of education

This paper considers intra-family financing of human capital under the assumptions that individuals are selfish and binding contracts are not feasible. Cooperation among family members is possible through a family norm (a family `social capital') which prescribes the obligations to be met at each stage in life and sanctions for those who deviate. We characterize the set of self-enforcing transfers and show that there is a downward bias in the family provision of education. This gives a rationale for public action as a remedy to the lack of commitment between selfish family members.