Women's Emancipation and Socialism: The Case of the People's Republic of Poland

Abstract

Determinants of occupational position in Poland, as elsewhere, include the socialization process, access to education, and the employment structure. The socialization process includes the domestic pattern of division of labor, occupational models encountered in person and in the various media, and parental and social pressures, including vocational counseling. Educational access is a critical determinant of the extent and type of participation in the labor force as well as attitudes toward work. Although Poland has made major attempts to improve the socialization process and access by type of program, disparities are still encountered in pay received for similar work, and for work in positions that cannot be explained by differences in productivity or education. Employment policies being undertaken or considered include measures to improve working conditions and occupational position, to socialize a larger number of “domestic” tasks, and to provide more flexibility via part-time work and longer maternity leaves.

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