The Historical Gender Gap Index: A Longitudinal and Spatial Assessment of Sweden, 1870–1990
-
Published:2023-10-30
Issue:4
Volume:83
Page:943-980
-
ISSN:0022-0507
-
Container-title:The Journal of Economic History
-
language:en
-
Short-container-title:J. Econ. Hist.
Author:
Perrin Faustine,Karlsson Tobias,Kok Joris
Abstract
This paper investigates the evolution of gender equality in Sweden during a phase characterized by industrialization, urbanization, and demographic transition. To this end, we build a database with quantitative indicators to construct a spatial Historical Gender Gap Index. We find that after a period of stagnation, Sweden made significant progress in closing the gender gap from the 1940s onward to reach the high level of gender equality that it is now famous for. The empirical exploration of the relationship between gender equality and economic development reveals that regions displaying higher gender equality performed economically better than less gender-equal regions.
Publisher
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Subject
Economics, Econometrics and Finance (miscellaneous),Economics and Econometrics,History