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Preference Formation and the Rise of Women's Labour Force Participation: Evidence from WWII

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  • Fernández, Raquel
  • Olivetti, Claudia
  • Fogli, Alessandra

Abstract

This Paper presents intergenerational evidence in favour of the hypothesis that a significant factor explaining the increase in female labour force participation over time was the growing presence of men who grew up with a different family model ? one in which their mother worked. We use differences in mobilization rates of men across states during WWII as a source of exogenous variation in female labour supply. We show, in particular, that higher WWII male mobilization rates led to a higher fraction of women working not only for the generation directly affected by the war, but also for the next generation. These women were young enough to profit from the changed composition in the pool of men (i.e., from the fact that WWII created more men with mothers who worked). We also show that states in which the ratio of the average fertility of working relative to non-working women is greatest, have higher female labour supply 20 years later.

Suggested Citation

  • Fernández, Raquel & Olivetti, Claudia & Fogli, Alessandra, 2004. "Preference Formation and the Rise of Women's Labour Force Participation: Evidence from WWII," CEPR Discussion Papers 4493, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:4493
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    Cited by:

    1. Buttet, Sebastien & Schoonbroodt, Alice, 2013. "An accounting exercise for the shift in life-cycle employment profiles of married women born between 1940 and 1960," Journal for Labour Market Research, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 46(3), pages 253-271.
    2. David Bravo Urrutia & Sergio Urzúa & Claudia Sanhueza, 2007. "Is There Labor Market Discrimination Among Professionals In Chile? Lawyers, Doctors And Business-People," Working Papers wp264, University of Chile, Department of Economics.
    3. Zvi Eckstein & Osnat Lifshitz, 2011. "Dynamic Female Labor Supply," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 79(6), pages 1675-1726, November.
    4. Leonardo M. Klüppel & Lamar Pierce & Jason A. Snyder, 2018. "Perspective—The Deep Historical Roots of Organization and Strategy: Traumatic Shocks, Culture, and Institutions," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 29(4), pages 702-721, August.
    5. Abdulla, Kanat & Serikbayeva, Balzhan, 2024. "Gender gaps in labor market outcomes in a resource-dependent country," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    6. Guido Tabellini, 2010. "Culture and Institutions: Economic Development in the Regions of Europe," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 8(4), pages 677-716, June.
    7. Minh Quang Dao, 2014. "Female Labor Force Participation in Developing Countries - La partecipazione della forza lavoro femminile nei paesi in via di sviluppo," Economia Internazionale / International Economics, Camera di Commercio Industria Artigianato Agricoltura di Genova, vol. 67(3), pages 337-350.
    8. David Bravo & Claudia Sanhueza & Sergio Urzua, 2008. "Discriminación en el mercado laboral entre profesionales de Chile. Abogados, Médicos y gente de negocios," Research Department Publications 3249, Inter-American Development Bank, Research Department.
    9. Buttet, Sebastien & Schoonbroodt, Alice, 2013. "An accounting exercise for the shift in life-cycle employment profiles of married women born between 1940 and 1960," Journal for Labour Market Research, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 46(3), pages 253-271.
    10. Rob Euwals & Marike Knoef & Daniel Vuuren, 2011. "The trend in female labour force participation: what can be expected for the future?," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 40(3), pages 729-753, May.
    11. Remi Jedwab & Noel D. Johnson & Mark Koyama, 2019. "Negative shocks and mass persecutions: evidence from the Black Death," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 24(4), pages 345-395, December.
    12. Chang‐Tai Hsieh & Erik Hurst & Charles I. Jones & Peter J. Klenow, 2019. "The Allocation of Talent and U.S. Economic Growth," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 87(5), pages 1439-1474, September.
    13. World Bank, 2011. "Work and Family : Latin American and Caribbean Women in Search of a New Balance [Trabajo & familia : mujeres de América Latina y el Caribe en busca de un nuevo equilibrio - Resumen ejecuivo (Vol. 2)]," World Bank Publications - Reports 12489, The World Bank Group.
    14. Marcela Perticara, 2006. "Women’s Employment Transitions and Fertility," ILADES-UAH Working Papers inv172, Universidad Alberto Hurtado/School of Economics and Business.
    15. Gimenez-Nadal, José Ignacio & Molina, José Alberto & Velilla, Jorge, 2020. "Short- vs Long-Term Intergenerational Correlations of Employment and Self-Employment in Europe," IZA Discussion Papers 12933, IZA Network @ LISER.
    16. Oriana Bandiera & Ashwini Natraj, 2013. "Does Gender Inequality Hinder Development and Economic Growth? Evidence and Policy Implications," The World Bank Research Observer, World Bank, vol. 28(1), pages 2-21, February.

    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply

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