Discrimination? 1. Draw simple labor supply and demand graphs for the occupation

Question

Discrimination?

1. Draw simple labor supply and demand graphs for the occupations of school teachers and plumbers to show the labor market in each profession. Assume that some workers prefer to clean drains for a living, and some prefer to teach children, but that all will change occupations if the wages are high enough.

2. Now assume that men face discrimination that prevents them from becoming teachers; show and explain the effect of this discrimination on wages and labor supply in both occupations graphically and in your own words.

3. Show the reduction in output from discrimination. Show the economic gains from eliminating discrimination. With such gains, why has it been so difficult to enact and enforce anti-discrimination policies?

4. Review Gerald Friedman, “The Wages of Gender,” Real World Micro, 8.3. Why are women in low-wage jobs? Do they prefer lower wages?  

Explanation / Answer

1. these are the demand and supply curve of teachers n sanitation cleaners. Supply curve is upward sloping showing that as more of wages are paid it draws people from other occupation to shift to highly paid one.

3.Since there is discrimination, more people are becoming workers or drain cleaners, so the wages dropped as the supply has increased.

With the elimination of discrimination, more variety of jobs are available to everyone. Also, thewages of all jobs will be similar because there won’t be an abundance of workers in one job. Forexample, since women can’t be plumbers, doctors, or any “manly” jobs, they either become caretakers or school teachers which are viewed as “feminine” jobs. With all the women being caretakers or teachers, those jobs become in abundance and people can pay less to get workers forthose jobs. It has been so difficult to enact and enforce anti-discrimination policies because thediscriminants have not receive proper trainings. Furthermore, even if government policies have overcome training restrictions in higher education, they are ineffective in worker managed programs.

4. a) Physically weak- women are in low wage jobs because they are physically weak as against their male counterparts.They cannot perform hard labour.

b)short period - women generally work for shorter period,they do not adopt an occupation for longer time .

c)Responsibility - women are generally in low paid wage category as they generally hesitate to do their job responsibly.

d)Selected jobs- women ,generally,prefer selected kind of jobs. In such jobs, their supply is more than demand. As a result they are paid low wages.

e) More family responsibility - presence of family n motherhood responsibility drags them to unprofessional low paid jobs.

f) less Organised - women labourers do not organise themselves into trade unions,resulting into low bargaining power & no wonder their wages remain low.

g) Discrimination- women career choices are limited due to discrimination.

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