Business Culture and Society

Pankhuri Jain

The Invisible Woman -Jayati Gosh

According to her, we cannot understand the economy without understanding the
gender. She has long argued that the purpose of an economy is to support the
survival and flourishing of life, in all its forms.
But how do we bring changes in the economic policy to make it less oppressive?
Gender-Sensitive: The structures and systems should be more gender-sensitive
and responsive. Therefore, workers’ rights in the economy are important, as
women work as small-scale farmers, domestic workers, food vendors etc. Women
are largely responsible for care across the world.
Care Work: Unpaid care work cannot be treated as limitless resources, which can
be used for free and depleted without cost or consequence. Economic institutions
and policies should socially valuing them and providing the conditions in which
they will flourish.

What is Work? -Nancy Folbre

Nancy Folbre argued that it is important to consider paid and unpaid work in one
framework, as this approach has major impact on social and economic policy. It is
a gendered distinction “women are to like as men are to money”. These forms of
social inequality tend to have a differential effect on men and women and a
rebellious effect on family commitments among those experiencing the economic
stress.
Then, “How should economists define work” question was answered by her. Ways
proposed-
Public support for care provision refers to social insurance that helps in dividing
the costs and risks and relieve stress on individual families. It sets off and
strengthens family responsibility.
It seems pretty clear that women's entrance into paid employment has
immensely contributed in the growth of GDP of the countries than the countries
that do not include women participation.
Economic well-being, productivity and sustainability are mismeasured. We don’t
consider the losses to our environment which are happening due to climate
change. Moreover, waste of human capital, when a child dies before he is born or
a young adult is dismissed from school or is sent to prison, is also an economic
loss.

Social Reproduction Theory -Tithi Bhattacharya

Karl Marx's capitalism theory emphasises that workers are the ones who produce
the goods. However, the social reproduction hypothesis claims that these are
employees who are produced. The social reproduction theory tells us about
direct biological reproduction, such as childbirth, which is the most common
means for the reproduction of the working class. According to her, workers have
the ability to change society through their social power. She briefly mentioned a
story of her life where she does many tasks every morning before heading to
work. Apart from this, after working for hours, there are household chores that
she has to accomplish with the psychical and mental support of her family and
friends.
Immigration and slavery are the two fundamental components of the working
class, in which people are forced to work as a workforce within the geographical
area.
Before the social reproduction theory, there was the feminist theory, which
effectively stated that the working class's citation ends in the home. However,
some social reproduction theorists argue that it is the community, not the family,
that has to be understood. As a result, in capitalism, improvement in the social
structure is required, as well as a certain work discipline that must be followed.

Left in the Lurch – Tales of Women workers

In this video, survival of women living in Delhi, is shown. In India, 94% of women
labour in the informal sector as domestic workers or vegetable sellers, among
other things. They approach their profession with their family and children at the
forefront of their minds. In the search of jobs, they have to leave their children
alone at home, which sometimes leads to unfortunate accidents. Despite the fact
that women's labour is seen as a duty to the family, the worth of the work they
undertake is not valued. They are paid less and live in conditions where there is a
lack of basic amenities.
There are many challenges faced by them, which are obtaining basic necessities
and requisite documents such as Aadhar Cards and Ration cards. In fact, their
children are not easily admitted by schools, as they are supposed to have valid
identity proof. Though they have access to Aangan Waadi, but they can attend it
for an hour or two only and after which they are supposed to return home.
They usually prefer to go to a private hospital rather than a government hospital,
as going to a government hospital takes more time even in an emergency.
Women's concerns in their communities, such as eve teasing, make it difficult for
them to work in their particular fields. Even after this, they are advised that it is
the responsibility of them only to work inside as well as outside the home. Also, it
is being taught that they require fundamental government interference to assist
them overcoming the problems they confront on a daily basis. The moment has
come where women are to be treated with respect in the workplace, regardless
of the task they undertake, and to be given meaningful work discipline, especially
in the unorganised sector.