Gender differences in opinions about market solutions and government interventions: the case of Uruguayan economists

This paper explores the differences in views between male and female Uruguayan economists regarding their opinions about market solutions and government interventions. In line with international evidence, the support to statements more market-oriented is lower among women than men, but the magnitudes of the gaps are small. We examine the role of age, family background, exposure to economic discussions (proxied by postgraduate education, reading of blogs and press and academic environment), and personality traits (risk aversion, optimism, and preferences for competition) to explain the gender gaps. Our results indicate that there is a positive relationship between gender differences in competitiveness and pro- market opinions. However, the gender difference remains significant after controlling for explanatory variables, though the magnitudes are mild. In any case, the findings indicate that achieving gender balance through the inclusion of women in public debates and decision-making positions would improve the diversity of perspectives in economics.