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The Intergenerational Transmission of World War I on Female Labour

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  • Victor Gay

Abstract

Demographic shocks tied to World War I’s high death toll induced many women to enter the labour force in the immediate post-war period. I document a positive impact of these newly employed women on the labour force participation of subsequent generations of women until today. I also find that the war permanently altered attitudes toward the role of women in the labour force. I decompose this impact into three channels of intergenerational transmission: transmission from mothers to daughters, transmission from mothers-in-law to daughters-in-law via their sons and transmission through local social interactions.

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  • Victor Gay, 2023. "The Intergenerational Transmission of World War I on Female Labour," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 133(654), pages 2303-2333.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:econjl:v:133:y:2023:i:654:p:2303-2333.
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