Labour for Love!

Whenever there is  talk related to national human resources, it is common for resources to be described as manpower because it is believed that men are the creators of economic wealth, and are the sole contributors to the national income and national product. Hence it follows that they alone have the prerogative to be rewarded for the work done. 

Women however constitute half the world's population and contribute to  two thirds of the worlds working hours, but they receive only one tenth of the world's income and collectively own one percent of the world's total-wealth

Now why does this happen? The main reason for this trend is because women tend to work or get pushed into the unorganized sector of the Indian Economy and get underpaid or not pay at all.

Consider for example the role the mother plays in creating and 'maintaining' human capital. Not only the mother but many women folk do participate in looking after children and the senior citizens, but are not paid  at all for the numerous jobs they perform .Well all this is considered work rendered out of love. Then how is it possible to pay for such work ? can love remain love if it is monetized?

All of us buy cows milk but is  the mother's milk marketable? Is it not a little ironical that even the cow is considered to be of greater economic value than the woman? Has economic theory stooped so low? The concept of labour for love has relegated women to the rank of second class citizens and has subjected her to exploitation within the family.If one believes that love cannot be monetized then is there some way out to recognize the contribution of women within the home. The work they do at home is highly priced if done by hired hands. Is this then not an indication to the extent of exploitation of women? Economic Theory per se has not been able to resolve this issue. Most theories promulgated by men have cleanly left women out of agency behaviour. After all Rene Descartes as also many a classical and Neo classical economist were of the opinion that women cannot think rationally. The patriarchal backdrop of most knowledge has drawn out the life of women on a canvas of androcentricism, and this has led the way to women's doom.

~~Crystal David John