Class, gender and income: A structural/feminist-marxist analysis of income determination and the income gap

David Wayne Wright, Purdue University

Abstract

This dissertation addresses the income determination process and income gap between men and women. Following a review of traditional economic and alternative feminists determination models, this study utilizes a modified dual systems approach which argues that economic (class position) and sex/gender systems are fundamental in creating and maintaining income inequality by gender independent of individual-level factors. This study differs from other dual systems studies by operationalizing a marxian construction of class position, rather than occupation and occupational sex-segregation. Using group means comparison tests and multi-variate regression, this study finds that class position has significant independent effects in explaining income determination and explains a greater proportion of variance in the dependent variable (income) than occupational sex-segregation. Furthermore, class position is found to mediate the relationship between income and individual-level characteristics. Even though no significant differences exist between men and women on individual-level characteristics, gender plays an important role in influencing the relationship between individual-level factors and income. Women are found to occupy lower income generating class positions than men and within in each class position receive less income than men. While men have a positive linear relationship between class position and income women have no such relationship and class position is statistically non-significant. Finally, marital status and household labor are found to be important factors in creating income differences. Marriage positively effects men's income but has no measurable effect for women. Domestic labor negatively effects men's income and has no measurable effect for women. Childcare labor negatively effects women's income but has no measurable effect on men's income.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Gottfried, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Social structure|Womens studies|Labor relations

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