Making Care Work: Why Our Economy Should Put People FirstA bold critique of conventional economics that reveals why the time and money we devote to care work is vital to our economic future. Our economy is much bigger than the dollar value of things we buy and sell. It depends on us—our health, our creativity, and our moral commitments. These capabilities don't have price tags but are crucial to a sustainable future. We need to acknowledge and reward the value of caring for ourselves and others, especially our children, our elderly, and those experiencing illness or disability. From leading feminist economist Nancy Folbre, Making Care Work provides a compelling historical and economic account of care provision in the United States. Folbre traces the long and colorful history of resistance to bogus claims that only paid work "counts" and that employees in care services are always paid what they deserve. Explaining why care providers remain economically vulnerable today, she argues that more attention to the public benefits of care provision could help build the political coalitions needed to implement policies that put people first. In this comprehensive and bold book, Folbre upends conventional economic thinking and maps a hopeful path toward a more equitable and sustainable economy. |
Contents
List of Illustrations | 1 |
More Than Commodities? 2 Defining the Gainful Who Are Workers? | 38 |
What Were You Doing? | 61 |
What Is Our Output? | 83 |
Whos Better Off? | 105 |
Whats Your Life Worth? | 128 |
Who Provides? | 151 |
Will It Endure? | 177 |
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Common terms and phrases
accounting activities adults affluent average bargaining power benefits capability approach child childcare commitments communities consumers contributions cooperation decline dependents devoted differences domestic earnings economists effects efforts elderly employees estimates expenditures Feminist Economics Folbre future Gautham gender Genuine Progress Indicator Gross Domestic Product housework human capabilities human capital improve Income and Wealth increased individual inequality institutions investment Janet Gornick Journal of Economic less living standards market income marriage measure ment mothers National nomic nonmarket nursing homes occupations opportunity cost outcomes output paid employment Paid Family Leave parents Pew Research Center Policy Political population poverty reduced relative replacement cost Research responsibilities Review social capital Survey taxes tion U.S. Bureau U.S. Census U.S. Census Bureau University Press unpaid household valuation value of unpaid well-being women workers York young children