[How About This Book] Male-Centered Economy That Restrains Both Men and Women... Escape Dad-Only Capitalism

Similar Social Starting Points for Men and Women
But Women's Careers Decline Due to Childbirth and Childcare
Ultimately, Men Are the First to Suffer Negative Effects

Entering the late 20th century, women's economic activities underwent a revolutionary change. By the late 1980s, women in Western societies were, on average, more educated than men and found it easier to enter traditionally male-dominated professions. A considerable number of women chose careers as doctors or judges. However, this trend lost momentum in the 1990s. Many women were exposed to the threat of job insecurity.

The author, who has focused on the cultural origins of inequality, argues that economic inequality between genders is more closely linked to cultural factors than biological ones, explaining this through economic data.

According to the author, women entered the labor market en masse due to 'war.' As men were drafted, creating a gap in the labor supply, women were forced to replace the existing male workforce. While this might be seen as an opportunity, women at the time were regarded as 'incapable of working as much as one man,' and multiple women shared the labor that one man had previously performed. The author points to this as the reason women who entered the workforce had little chance to accumulate knowledge and experience that could be valued. They were considered temporary substitutes until men returned from the battlefield. However, the author assigns some significance to the fact that women's labor became regarded as a 'normal' social norm.

The author then focuses on the gender wage gap while encompassing changes in perceptions of women's labor. From World War I through the 1980s, the gender wage gap steadily decreased. Today, the European Union (EU) has a gender wage gap of about 15%. Although the gender wage gap has made some 'progress' over time, it has stagnated at some point. The author points out, based on data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), that since France recorded a 14.57% gender wage gap in 1995, little change has been observed to date.

In fact, the wage levels between genders at the starting line are relatively equal. Women and men start with similar wages and promotions, but diverge at a critical juncture: 'childbirth and parenting.' Generally, men's incomes show a gradual upward trend, while women's incomes decrease or pause. Although the spread of oral contraceptives has given women some freedom from pregnancy, it has been difficult to avoid the costs associated with the 'mother role.' The author notes that women who have their first child typically earn about 60% less than the previous year, and one year after childbirth, about 80% less.

Of course, there have been institutional efforts to correct this. In 1963, the United States enacted the Equal Pay Act, prohibiting gender-based wage discrimination for the same job functions. Women could no longer be paid less than men simply because of their gender. While symbolically significant, the author explains that such regulations increased male preference in workplaces, and in reality, the proportion of women in high-income jobs decreased, leaving the average wage gap unchanged.

Even if women manage to enter decent jobs and utilize parental leave systems, there remain hurdles to achieving full employment equality. Women who pause their economic activities miss out on promotion and training opportunities at work, and childcare knowledge tends to be concentrated on women at home, making it difficult to avoid unequal burdens both at work and in the family. The author states, "Although most women have children and return to work, they reduce their working hours, choose more flexible work environments, and move to the public sector or more family-friendly but lower-paying companies. While women's working hours do not necessarily change, these choices affect their job skills."

However, this environment is not necessarily better for men. The author emphasizes, based on 'patriarchal capitalism,' that men are the first to be negatively affected by masculinity norms. Extreme choices due to excessive competition and higher mortality rates are notably evident among men. The author explains, "Men prefer to be unemployed or economically inactive rather than hold jobs perceived as feminine," and attributes the increase in opioid consumption and suicide rates in the United States after the Great Recession in the late 2000s to this phenomenon.

Ultimately, the author explains that only a very small number of men benefit, while everyone else is a victim. Looking closely, privileges are concentrated among some men, and under strong gender norms, many men face threats from violence and high suicide rates. In this context, the author insists, "To dismantle patriarchal capitalism, all cultural, political, and economic supporters of this ideology must be driven out from homes, companies, and governments. Men must join together for the sake of men, daughters, and sons," urging, "Let both women and men break free from reality and liberate ourselves."

Patriarchal Capitalism | Written by Pauline Grosjean | Translated by Bae Sejin | Minumsa | 276 pages | 18,000 KRW

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.