For most western nations yes they were MEANT to, but very rarely did the wife's family pay dowry to the male. Especially if the male was poorer than the entire family the wife came from.

Asbangbus said, it was effectively a gratitude token and a legal seperation of daughter from estate, with the amount being sent in dowry her equivalent worth or cut of the estate.

If the male was poorer, that dowry either didn't get paid or the marriage didn't go ahead for "reasons" (ooh no I conve ient she's gone to a nunnery!), this was to prevent lazy male leeches attaching to the family estate.

It worked to both hobble thots and simps from the off.