Question

Care labor is central to the very survival of humanity. Yet, it is not done equally by all but instead is performed by market specialists and within households by some, generally women.

1. Give examples of care labor coordinated through the market, and the same service provided through families and through government.
2. Who benefits from specialization in care labor within the family? (a)Are there efficiency advantages gained where men and women in particular activities, women in care labor and men in market work? (b)Are there distributional advantages where men or women benefit by focusing on market labor or care labor respectively?

Answer 1

Care labour refers to that kind of jobs , both paid and unpaid, undertaken by internally motivated people, to help others to achieve their goals or values.

An example of a service that can be coordinated through the market, through government and through families is providing child care. In the market there are institutions which provide child care . In the same way, the government also roll out many policies and programmes for child care . In our homes taking care of the children is often done by women.

The benefits of care labour are received by those for whom they are being performed, like child care and caring the elderly people . But certain other care labour like cleaning etc.benefits the whole family.

a) There are efficiency advantages when women specializes in care labour and men in market work. Each can maximse their utilities through specialisation.

b) There arises distributional disadvantages when men and women focus on market work and care work respectively. This is because in the case of market work it is difficult to determine the value of the work of a person . He may not be paid in accordance to the value of work done by him. That is there are chances that he may be exploited. In the case of care work done by women , such works are not considered in accordance with their values or many of the care work done by the wonen are not paid . For example, the household work that is done in ones own house.