The economic consequences of being widowed by war: A life-cycle perspective

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Braun, Sebastian T.; Stuhler, Jan
• 署名单位: University of Bayreuth; IZA Institute Labor Economics; Universidad Carlos III de Madrid
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0047-2727
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2024.105241
• 发表日期: 2024
• 关键词: War widows; Labor market careers; Female labor force participation; World War II

摘要

Despite millions of war widows worldwide, little is known about the economic consequences of being widowed by war. We use life history data from West Germany to show that war widowhood increased women's employment immediately after World War II but led to lower employment rates later in life. War widows, therefore, carried a double burden of employment and childcare while their children were young but left the workforce when their children reached adulthood. We show that the design of compensation policies likely explains this counterintuitive life-cycle pattern and examine potential spillovers to the next generation.