Gender Equality and Political Realignment: A Global Perspective

Gender Equality and Cultural Change: A Global Analysis

(Based on research by Inglehart and Norris)

Theoretical Frameworks of Gender and Politics

The Orthodox Account of Female Conservatism

• Historically, it was believed that when women gained the right to vote, a distinctive "women's vote" would emerge, with women voting as a bloc across various issues.
• While gender differences in voting were relatively small, women were more likely to support center-right parties in Western Europe and the United States. This phenomenon was termed the Traditional Gender Gap.

Theories of Gender Dealignment

• Later voting studies indicated that the old pattern was no longer relevant. Outcomes were shown to rely more on specific political circumstances than on gender. For instance, in the U.S., women shifted toward the Democratic Party, while men leaned Republican.

Theories of Gender Realignment

• A newer theory, focusing on the Modern Gender Gap, posited that women were realigning to the left across post-industrial societies. In U.S. presidential elections from 1952 to 1980, gender played an increasingly significant role.

Hypothesis: Societal Modernization and Political Values

• The process of societal modernization is actively reshaping the political values and attitudes of both men and women.
• Attitudes Toward the Role of Government: Data from the World Value Survey (1990-2000) indicates women are more left-leaning than men.
• Ideological Values: Men's ideological positions have remained relatively stable. In the 1970s, women were generally more right-leaning, but currently, they are more left-leaning.
• Electoral Behavior: In 1973, a large gap existed (women more right than men). By 1991, the gap had largely closed, and by 1995, women were more left-leaning.
• Cohort Analysis of Ideological Change: Cohort studies were divided into three types of societies: Agrarian, Industrial, and Post-Industrial.
  • Post-Industrial Societies: Pre-war groups display the Traditional Gender Gap. This gap closes among middle-aged cohorts and then switches among young women, who are more left-leaning than younger men.
  • Industrial Societies: More stable patterns, with older women tending to be more conservative.
  • Agrarian Societies: Women generally lean more to the right.

Key Insights into Gender Realignments

Susan Carroll's Observations

(Professor of Gender and Politics at Rutgers University)

• Carroll noted that the gender gap was strongest between two distinct groups:

1. Professional, educated, and relatively wealthy groups.
2. Less well-off and unmarried groups.

The common factor linking these groups is their economic and psychological autonomy from men.

Ethel Klein's Perspective

(Former Professor of Gender and Politics at Harvard and Columbia Universities)

• Klein suggests that women's entry into the paid labor force in post-industrial nations may have altered their objective economic interests, potentially leading them to shift leftward. Their work experiences change their roles and expectations within society.

Cultural Explanations for Voting Alignment

• Women often show strong support for government spending on the welfare state, public services, and environmental protection.
• A majority of women tend to favor pacifism in military matters.
• The authors propose that this alignment is partly because women often benefit most from government services like pensions and childcare, and they also constitute the majority of workers in healthcare and education sectors.

Conclusions on Gender and Political Values

• Most women today lean left, favoring significant government involvement in social welfare.
• From the 1950s to the 1980s, women were generally more conservative, but this trend has since reversed.
• The magnitude of the Modern Gender Gap diminishes when cultural values are considered. This is because the gap reflects differences in the value orientations of men and women, particularly concerning attitudes toward the roles of government and gender equality.
• The Modern Gender Gap is strongest among younger age groups, while the Traditional Gender Gap persists in older groups. As younger generations replace older ones, the shift toward left-leaning values among women is expected to strengthen further in more affluent nations.