The labor-force participation of married women in the Soviet Union: A household cross-section analysis

Abstract

To what extent do economic and demographic variables take part in determining the exceptionally high rates of labor-force participation of Soviet women? The article addresses this question, using conventional Western labor theory and cross-sectional household data of a sample of families who emigrated from the Soviet Union, The main findings are that the high labor-force participation rate is partly explained by high offered wages, a high level of schooling, low family income and relatively few young children, But ideological education and social pressure also play a role, There are indications that the supply of hours of work is backward-bending.