TY - JOUR
T1 - Modern gender roles and agricultural history
T2 - the Neolithic inheritance
AU - Hansen, Casper Worm
AU - Jensen, Peter Sandholt
AU - Skovsgaard, Christian
N1 - JEL Classification: J70, N50, O11, O17
PY - 2015/12/1
Y1 - 2015/12/1
N2 - This research proposes the hypothesis that societies with long histories of agriculture have less equality in gender roles as a consequence of more patriarchal values and beliefs regarding the proper role of women in society. We test this hypothesis in a world sample of countries, in a sample of European regions, as well as among immigrants and children of immigrants living in the US. This evidence reveals a significant negative relationship between years of agriculture and female labor force participation rates, as well as other measures of equality in contemporary gender roles. This finding is robust to the inclusion of an extensive set of possible confounders, including historical plough-use and the length of the growing season. We argue that two mechanisms can explain the result: (1) societies with longer agricultural histories had a higher level of technological advancement which in the Malthusian Epoch translated into higher fertility and a diminished role for women outside the home; (2) the transition to cereal agriculture led to a division of labor in which women spend more time on processing cereals rather than working in the field.
AB - This research proposes the hypothesis that societies with long histories of agriculture have less equality in gender roles as a consequence of more patriarchal values and beliefs regarding the proper role of women in society. We test this hypothesis in a world sample of countries, in a sample of European regions, as well as among immigrants and children of immigrants living in the US. This evidence reveals a significant negative relationship between years of agriculture and female labor force participation rates, as well as other measures of equality in contemporary gender roles. This finding is robust to the inclusion of an extensive set of possible confounders, including historical plough-use and the length of the growing season. We argue that two mechanisms can explain the result: (1) societies with longer agricultural histories had a higher level of technological advancement which in the Malthusian Epoch translated into higher fertility and a diminished role for women outside the home; (2) the transition to cereal agriculture led to a division of labor in which women spend more time on processing cereals rather than working in the field.
KW - Faculty of Social Sciences
KW - Economic development
KW - Culture
KW - Gender roles
U2 - 10.1007/s10887-015-9119-y
DO - 10.1007/s10887-015-9119-y
M3 - Journal article
SN - 1381-4338
VL - 20
SP - 365
EP - 404
JO - Journal of Economic Growth
JF - Journal of Economic Growth
IS - 4
ER -
