Economic Reform and the Employment of Chinese Women

The economic reforms in China have improved the employment capabilities of households as demonstrated by higher per capita incomes. Distribution of income has also been favorable despite the ability of some households to get much richer than their neighbors. Other indicators have not been so positiv...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of economic issues 1994-09, Vol.28 (3), p.715-732
Main Author: Summerfield, Gale
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bargaining power
China (People's Republic)
Chinese
Cities
Economic Change
Economic development
Economic policy
Economic reform
Employment
Employment discrimination
Income distribution
Labor aspects
Men
Peoples Republic of China
Reform
Reforms
Rural areas
Rural Women
Sex discrimination
Sex ratio
Statistical data
Women
Workforce
Working Women
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Summary:The economic reforms in China have improved the employment capabilities of households as demonstrated by higher per capita incomes. Distribution of income has also been favorable despite the ability of some households to get much richer than their neighbors. Other indicators have not been so positive. In particular, problems in capabilities for women emerge from changes in the source of income. The emphasis on efficiency in the urban reforms has resulted in increasing discrimination against women in hiring and layoffs as firms try to reduce costs. Surplus labor still interferes with efforts of state firms to be more competitive, and impending enterprise reforms assure that more women will lose state jobs. Traditional attitudes about the inferiority of women that had been partially repressed may have resurfaced with the economic reforms as traditional institutions receive more prominence. It should be possible for a policy commitment to widen rather than narrow the choices available to women.
ISSN:0021-3624
1946-326X
DOI:10.1080/00213624.1994.11505579