Shootout at Gender Gap, Euroversion
The pay gap between men and women in the European Union is 17.4 percent, and several explanations are proffered:
The pay gap is linked to a number of complex causes which are frequently interrelated: the undervaluing of women’s work, segregation in the labour market, traditions and stereotypes, and problems in balancing work and private life. The gender pay gap is the consequence of all these factors and inequalities in the labour market.
The real surprise is that the most Catholic countries in Europe, traditionally considered as “backward”, such as Poland, Italy and Malta, have the SMALLEST gap (a statistically insignificant 4.4% in “macho” Italy and a tiny 7.5% in Poland), while the allegedly more “progressive” and “feminist” countries, such as Holland, United Kingdom and Germany, find themselves with the LARGEST gaps (in Holland men are paid 23.6% more than women). Even Scandinavian countries like Sweden and Denmark have pay gaps that are larger than the EU average of 17.4%.
This is not an East-West divide (Estonia is the worst country in Europe with a 30.3% gap). Rather, the results seem determined by religion: the seven countries with the smallest gaps are all Roman Catholic, followed by Eastern Orthodox ones, while the Protestant nations are among the worst offenders.
Not being aware of any specific commandment to the effect that “Thou shalt pay women less,” I am a tad perplexed by this finding.
Incidentally, that second link should be considered NSFW, which is why you’re getting it on the weekend.
Charles Pergiel »
8 March 2009 · 7:37 pm
Two reasons men make more money: 1) half of the men are obedient slaves to their wives. The wife decides what the man should do and persuades him to do it. In most cases, the man is completely oblivious to the females machinations. 2) Men work for men and hire other men to do the work. Women are a distraction. If women want to make more money, they can start their own businesses and hire women to do the work. But they don’t. Most woman smart enough to do that would rather manipulate a man into making the money and then giving it to her. Don’t kid yourself, this Western civilization is a patriarchy in name only. The real power behind the throne is women.