Question

Given the increase in female participation rate, is the decreasing male participation rate less concerning?

In class last week, we examined the female labor force participation rate which has almost doubled since the 1960s. We briefly discussed the strange period in the early 80s, in which the young women participation rate stopped growing while the prime age women rate continued growing. This is likely due to college enrollment growth. We also discussed the role of marital status. Single women have always worked, so the increase in participation rate is largely driven by growth in married women working. This increase in likely driven by higher real wages as well as increased opportunity.

Given the increase in female participation rate, is the lower male participation rate less concerning?

Answer 1

Social change has gone hand in hand with economic progress from time immemorial. Advent of industrialization has led to the movement of people from farms located in rural areas to factories of cities. Growing urbanization lead to breaking down of shackles of religion and feudalism across much of the western world. Free movement of labour and change in social norms led to rise of new middle class. Mega cities like London, New York and Paris were cradle of new ideas which subsequently led to rise of feminism. This forward movement over the period of last 250 years has led to various rights being conferred on the feminine kind with right to own property, vote and work are all products of the same.

Reactionary forces have tried to stall the progress citing various reasons like female participation in work force will lead to breakdown in family system, rise in extra martial affairs and general breakdown of social mores. However none of this have been given much weightage and progress of female participation in workforce has been increasing. Rest of the world is also catching up with West with countries like Japan and South Korea reaching similar levels of female participation in work force. Rise in education levels among women has led to increase in aspiration levels which have resonance in their martial preferences also. Educated women tend to value their prospects who are more educated and having higher earning potential than they themselves. This has led to peculair situation in East Asia where number of men who are unable to find spouses are rising.

Anecdotal evidence seems to suggest that while women are more focused on careers and raising their living standards increasing number of men tend to live off social security safety net provided by the state. Increase in women graduates across all disciplines especially in techinical and engineering fields are pointing to a future where men may tend to be more in unemployed category. Number of houeseholds where wife earns more and hence husband decides to break in his career to support family leading to the term 'househusbands' becoming common. Is this a area of concern is something for each individual or family to ponder upon. If the overall sense of well being and happiness is ensured it does not matter who brings in more money or if one does not actively participate in work force. To put things in perspective the amount of work involved in doing domestich chores is also part of gross product of a country as per new developments in field of economics.