The dowry always existed. I believe the basic problem today is the attitude. If I am not mistaken, Chazal word the dowry as being “kdei sheyikpetzu aleha tovin”, it was offered by the girl’s father to make her more desirable, and it was part of the package of her yirat Shamayim, looks, personality, yichus, etc. I am not sure if in previous generations men demanded a dowry and made the shidduch dependent on that. Unfortunately it has become a status symbol and not just a means to support a budding talmid chacham.
