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The Demographic Transition and the Sexual Division of Labor

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  • Rodrigo R. Soares
  • Bruno L. S. Falcão

Abstract

This paper presents a theory in which increases in female labor force participation and reductions in the gender-wage gap are generated as part of a single process of demographic transition, initially characterized by reductions in mortality and fertility. The paper suggests a relationship between gains in life expectancy and changes in the role of women in society that has not been identified before in the literature. Mortality reductions affect the incentives of individuals to invest in human capital and to have children, with implications for female labor force participation and the wage differential between men and women. The paper also presents some empirical evidence to support the predictions of the theory. (c) 2008 by The University of Chicago. All rights reserved..

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Bibliographic Info

Article provided by University of Chicago Press in its journal Journal of Political Economy.

Volume (Year): 116 (2008)
Issue (Month): 6 (December)
Pages: 1058-1104

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Handle: RePEc:ucp:jpolec:v:116:y:2008:i:6:p:1058-1104

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Citations

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Cited by:
  1. Cervellati, Matteo & Sunde, Uwe, 2009. "Life Expectancy and Economic Growth: The Role of the Demographic Transition," CEPR Discussion Papers 7361, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
  2. Luis Angeles, 2010. "Demographic transitions: analyzing the effects of mortality on fertility," Journal of Population Economics, Springer, vol. 23(1), pages 99-120, January.
  3. Cervellati, Matteo & Sunde, Uwe, 2007. "Human Capital, Mortality and Fertility: A Unified Theory of the Economic and Demographic Transition," CEPR Discussion Papers 6384, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
  4. Cavalcanti, Tiago V. de V. & Tavares, José, 2008. "The Output Cost of Gender Discrimination: A Model-Based Macroeconomic Estimate," Proceedings of the German Development Economics Conference, Zurich 2008 43, Verein für Socialpolitik, Research Committee Development Economics.
  5. Larry E. Jones & Michele Tertilt, 2006. "An Economic History of Fertility in the U.S.: 1826-1960," NBER Working Papers 12796, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
  6. Larry E. Jones & Alice Schoonbroodt & Michèle Tertilt, 2010. "Fertility Theories: Can They Explain the Negative Fertility-Income Relationship?," NBER Chapters, in: Demography and the Economy, pages 43-100 National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
  7. Masako Kimura & Daishin Yasui, 2010. "The Galor–Weil gender-gap model revisited: from home to market," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 15(4), pages 323-351, December.
  8. Masako Kimura,Daishin Yasui, 2012. "Public Policy and the Income-Fertility Relationship in Economic Development," Discussion Papers 1224, Graduate School of Economics, Kobe University.
  9. Daniel Mejía & María Teresa Ramírez & Jorge Tamayo, . "The Demographic Transition in Colombia: Theory and Evidence," Borradores de Economia 538, Banco de la Republica de Colombia.
  10. Matthias Cinyabuguma & Bill Lord & Christelle Viauroux, 2009. "Health and the Revolution in Household Behavior 1880-1940: Fertility, Education and Married Female Labor Supply (previously entitled: Schooling, Fertility, and Married Female Labor Supply: What Role f," UMBC Economics Department Working Papers 09-108, UMBC Department of Economics, revised 15 Apr 2010.
  11. Masako Kimura & Daishin Yasui, 2012. "Public Policy and the Income-Fertility Relationship in Economic Development," KIER Working Papers 834, Kyoto University, Institute of Economic Research.
  12. Fang, Hai & Eggleston, Karen N. & Rizzo, John A. & Zeckhauser, Richard, 2010. "Female Employment and Fertility in Rural China," Working Paper Series rwp10-011, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government.
  13. Priebe, Jan, 2011. "Child Costs and the Causal Effect of Fertility on Female Labor Supply: An investigation for Indonesia 1993-2008," Proceedings of the German Development Economics Conference, Berlin 2011 67, Verein für Socialpolitik, Research Committee Development Economics.
  14. Fang, Hai & Eggleston, Karen N. & Rizzo, John A. & Zeckhauser, Richard J., 2012. "Jobs and Kids: Female Employment and Fertility in China," Working Paper Series rwp12-054, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government.

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