USSR Women at Work: Changing Patterns

AN ATTEMPT IS MADE TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTS OF THE SOVIET COMMITMENT TO THE FULL & EQUAL PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN IN ECONOMIC LIFE BY EXPLORING THE PATTERNS OF F EMPLOYMENT FOUND IN THE USSR & COMPARING THEM WITH THOSE OF OTHER WESTERN INDUSTRIAL SOCIETIES. HIGH RATES OF F LF PARTICIPATION ARE ATTRIBUTED TO THE INTERACTION OF SE & DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS AFFECTING BOTH THE SUPPLY OF F LABOR & THE DEMAND FOR IT. THE DISTRIBUTION OF WOMEN BY ECONOMIC SECTOR & OCCUPATION REVEALS A SUBSTANTIAL DEGREE OF SEX-STEREOTYPING, WITH A LARGE PROPORTION OF THE F LF CONCENTRATED IN OCCUPATIONS WHICH ARE LARGELY F. A SERIES OF TABLES INDICATE THE SCOPE OF VERTICAL SEXUAL STRATIFICATION WITHIN OCCUPATIONS; THE PROPORTION OF WOMEN DECLINES AS THE LEVEL OF RESPONSIBILITY RISES. F EARNINGS ARE ALSO ANALYZED. THE CONCENTRATION OF WOMEN IN ECONOMIC SECTORS WHICH ARE RELATIVELY LOW IN STATUS & PAY TENDS TO PRODUCE A SUBSTANTIAL DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN THE AVERAGE ANNUAL EARNINGS OF WOMEN & MEN. 7 TABLES. AA.