I don't know about the Indian system, but I know in some East Asian cultures it is normal for the wife to run the household finances. That means the primary spender is financially literate, has a feeling of responsibility, and knows the couple's financial status. Contrast that with the US, where wives often have a very vague grasp of the couple's finances, yet are in charge of most of the spending. American wives can run a man into the ground and then blame him; East Asian wives take pride in maintaining healthy household finances. The downside is that a man can become financially irresponsible if his wife's level of control makes him feel emasculated. The ideal is a true feeling of joint responsibility, and neither system ensures that. It has to emerge from the trust and good faith of both spouses.
Re:Ineligible Bachelors: Indian Men Living in U.S. Strike Out
by dkarl on Monday April 06, 2009 @01:58PM
(#549262)
Marriages in America frequently break up over money, i.e., one partner wants to spend more than the other. I wonder if the Indian system helps avoid this problem.
> people I know would think I'm insane for even entertaining the idea that there could be redeeming qualities of arranged marriage
It's a sad state of affairs when people condemn you just for being willing to look at the evidence.