The Economics of Women Men and Work - Assignment Example

 Chapter Three describes the economics of a family. Starting with the neoclassical family unit to the modern day family unit the economics are discussed. The advantages and disadvantages of family economics were also explored. Different examples of families are also given. Examples range from Marxism to the modern day American family. The neoclassical family was a family dependent on the father as the breadwinner, the wife as the manager of the home, and the children used as laborers. Especially during the Middle Ages, where life was short, children were many, and women managed what the man gave her, this type of family unit worked. Men labored in the fields, traded, or worked at other jobs in order to bring his earnings home to his wife. The wife then made what was given last. Whether it was gold, bread, or other goods, the wife had to manage it. The wife also made clothes, soap, and other daily essentials. Children were expected to do chores. Cows produced milk, eggs were laid by hens, and other essentials chores were expected from the children. Everyone contributed in the economics of this household. Feminism and Marxism revolutionized the economics of the family. Whereas in the neoclassical family the man held all the power, women started gaining power in the 21st century. Today two working parents are common. What has become even more commonplace is a single family home. Mothers that get child support, or most of the time do not receive child support, are raising children. Divorce has given women a bargaining chip, but has created a hardship on the single mothers. Domestic violence has decreased due to divorce, but the divorce rate has risen to nearly a 50/50 percent ratio. Another economical concern is childcare and housework. When women work out, or both parents work out, childcare must be considered. School aged children must have care before and after school, if a parent has a 9 to 5 job. A nanny might be required for parents working unusual hours like the graveyard shift. Parents might chose to work opposite shifts in order to watch the children. Housework might have to be paid for as well. If two parents, or a single parent, is working too many hours a housekeeper might be necessary. It all plays into the economics of the family. Chapter Four discusses the balance between home and the labor force. The number of hours to work in order to make a living to the women’s attachment to the workforce was looked at. Economically the labor force must balance both work and home. Workers today must decide what kind of hours to work in order to be profitable. For example if a worker receives $24 an hour for overtime, but has to pay a babysitter that amount to watch their 3 children, the overtime is not paying a profit. Another scenario would be a worker that made $100 a day, but spent $78 on gas. The profit is not enough to waste the worker’s time. Each individual worker must decide what pays off, but some scenarios are just common sense. Women flooding the labor force after WWII created a new economic situation. More babysitters, housekeepers, and other positions opened up. New income also allowed for women to become more independent. This created more divorces. Single parent families became the norm instead of the exception. This created a new economic phenomenon of child support or the lack of child support. The new labor force created many major changes. The race factor also impacted the labor force. Blacks integrated with whites after the Civil Rights Movement. However black men were often discriminated against in the labor force. Black women were discriminated against, but tended to take any job available. Since men have a pride thing going on, black or white, black men refused to take jobs that were beneath them. This influx of black women into the labor force, along with their white female counterparts created a competitive market for jobs. Chapter Five explores the differences between occupation and earning. Different occupations have different earning potential. For example, a landscaper does not make as much as a doctor. Supply and demand dictate occupational earning. Individuals can let their grass grow for another week, but if they have a heart attack the need cannot be put off. Occupations with higher need are paid more. There are hierarchies within occupations. For example, a senior doctor makes more than an intern. A CEO makes more than a salesman. Every occupation has a hierarchy that determines pay. How quick a person goes up the letter is not set, but qualifications must be met to hold down a higher position that an individual’s colleagues. These hierarchies can be circumvented. A man marries the boss’ daughter, sleeping with the boss, and other tactics can get a person promoted. However, a true occupation of skill like being a doctor, lawyer, teacher, and so forth must be achieved through education. The hierarchy of these occupations must be met though education and hard work. Male and female earnings have been unequal for years. In some states this statistic still exists. Males make more for females for the same job. Occupations tend to promote and pay their female employees less. It started after WWII and has continued. The segregation of jobs has been eased over the years. However there are still occupations available only to men. Sports, military, welders, plumbers, mechanics, and so forth are seen as male professions. Nurses, waitresses, and so forth are women professions. The difference is male professions make more than female professions. Occupation differences can be labeled in two categories; no education and education. Those without a trade or college education make more than those with a high school education or drop outs. The difference is substantial. In order to make more money, an education is necessary. Bibliography Blau, F.D., M.A. Ferber, and A.E. Winkler. (2010). The Economics of Women, Men, and Work. Sixth Edition. Prentice Hall. Read More