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The Missing Men. World War I and Female Labor Force Participation

Author

Listed:
  • Jörn Boehnke

    (UC Davis - University of California [Davis] - UC - University of California, UC Davis - University of California [Davis] - UC - University of California)

  • Victor Gay

    (TSE-R - Toulouse School of Economics - UT Capitole - Université Toulouse Capitole - UT - Université de Toulouse - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement, IAST - Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse, TSE-R - Toulouse School of Economics - UT Capitole - Université Toulouse Capitole - UT - Université de Toulouse - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement, IAST - Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse)

Abstract

Using spatial variation in World War I military fatalities in France, we show that the scarcity of men due to the war generated an upward shift in female labor force participation that persisted throughout the interwar period. Available data suggest that increased female labor supply accounts for this result. In particular, deteriorated marriage market conditions for single women and negative income shocks to war widows induced many of these women to enter the labor force after the war. In contrast, demand factors such as substitution toward female labor to compensate for the scarcity of male labor were of second-order importance.

Suggested Citation

  • Jörn Boehnke & Victor Gay, 2022. "The Missing Men. World War I and Female Labor Force Participation," Post-Print hal-02523127, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-02523127
    DOI: 10.3368/jhr.57.4.0419-10151R1
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-02523127v3
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Economic history; World War I; Economics; Female labor force participation; Sex ratio; Marriage market;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • N34 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - Europe: 1913-

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