A Welfare State Paradox: State Interventions and Women’s Employment Opportunities in 22 Countries

Abstract

This study explores the role played by the welfare state in affecting women’s labor force participation and occupational achievement. Using data from 22 industrialized countries, the authors examine the consequences of state interventions for both women’s employment patterns and gender inequality in occupational attainment. The findings reveal a twofold effect: developed welfare states facilitate women’s access into the labor force but not into powerful and desirable positions. Specifically, nations characterized by progressive and developed welfare policies and by a large public service sector tend to have high levels of female labor force participation, along with a high concentration of women in female‐typed occupations and low female representation in managerial occupations. The findings provide insights into the social mechanisms underlying the relations between welfare states’ benefits to working mothers and women’s participation and achievements in the labor market.