Many Economists Are Critical of Proposals to Pass Comparable Worth

question 41

Multiple Choice

Many economists are critical of proposals to pass comparable worth legislation.Which of the following is the best explanation for this criticism?

• A)Comparable worth legislation will only lead to efficient market outcomes if women in low-paying jobs suffer from cognitive dissonance.
• B)Proposals for comparable worth legislation assume that wages for low-paying women's jobs should include compensating differentials. Economists believe that compensating differentials should be part of the wages for all jobs held by women.
• C)Proposals for comparable worth legislation call for increases in the wages of jobs held predominantly by women. Economists believe that this legislation should be used to increase the wages of all workers.
• D)Many economists believe that allowing markets to determine wages, rather than the rules required by comparable worth legislation, results in more efficient outcomes.

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Definitions:

Intersectional

A framework for analyzing and understanding how aspects of a person's social and political identities combine to create different modes of discrimination and privilege.

Exchange Theory

The assertion that power in relationships is influenced by the resources that a member brings to the relationship.

Relationship

A connection, association, or involvement between two or more individuals, groups, or entities, which can be emotional, social, professional, or of another nature.

Feminization of Poverty

The phenomenon by which women represent disproportionate percentages of the world's poor, often due to wage disparities, lack of access to resources, and social norms.