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The Changing Contributions of Men and Women to the Level and Distribution of Family Income, 1968-1988

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  • Maria Cancian
  • Sheldon Danziger
  • Peter Gotlschalk

Abstract

In the past twenty years, the labor force participation and earnings of women, especially married women, have risen dramatically. Over the same period, men's earnings have increased only modestly, and the distribution of family income has grown less equal. In this paper, we analyze the impact of changes in the level and distribution of earnings of men and women in the distribution of family income. We emphasize the contributions due to the increased work effort and real earnings of wives, as they account for a major portion of growth in family income over these two decades. Working wives have taken the place of economic growth as the factor that raises the standard of living of families across the entire income distribution. We analyze Current Population Survey data for white, black and Hispanic families in 1968, 1978, and 1988. Our results show that the primary factor contributing to rising income inequality was the increased inequality in the distribution of husbands' earnings. Wives' earnings both raised family income and lowered inequality.

Suggested Citation

  • Maria Cancian & Sheldon Danziger & Peter Gotlschalk, 1991. "The Changing Contributions of Men and Women to the Level and Distribution of Family Income, 1968-1988," Economics Working Paper Archive wp_62, Levy Economics Institute.
    • Handle: RePEc:lev:wrkpap:wp_62
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    1. Evelyn Lehrer & Marc Nerlove, 1981. "The Impact Of Female Work On Family Income Distribution In The United States: Black‐White Differentials," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 27(4), pages 423-431, December.
    2. Lehrer, Evelyn & Nerlove, Marc, 1981. "The Impact of Female Work on Family Income Distribution in the United States: Black-White Differentials," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 27(4), pages 423-431, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Pamela Smock & Wendy Manning, 1997. "Cohabiting partners’ economic circumstances and marriage," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 34(3), pages 331-341, August.
    2. Patricia Smith, 1994. "Recent patterns in downward income mobility: Sinking boats in a rising tide," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 31(3), pages 277-303, March.

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