The benefits of democratic societies go beyond greater personal freedoms and liberties. A new study by a UC Riverside economics professor has found that democratic systems of government also lead to higher participation by women in the labor market.
By examining world labor and political data spanning back to the 19th century, UC Riverside Associate Professor Ugo Antonio Troiano found that women who lived in democracies during their adolescence years were more like to join the workforce than women who had lived under autocracies or dictatorships.
Troiano analyzed data from the Polity IV Project, which measures the degree of democracy or autocracy in countries over time, assigning each country a numerical score ranging from -10 (full autocracy) to +10 (full democracy).
He also analyzed data from the World Values Survey, which tracks social attitudes over time. By combining these sources, Troiano was able to isolate the effect of political institutions on women’s workforce participation while controlling for factors such as education, cultural norms, and economic conditions.
The political environment during adolescence has a lasting impact on women’s economic participation, Troiano found. His work builds on research in social psychology that suggests that people between the ages of 16 and 25 are particularly susceptible to experiences that shape their long-term beliefs.
“The more democratic a country was when a woman was 18, the more likely she would join the labor force,” Troiano said.
Statistically, Troiano found that for every standard deviation increase (a uniform measure of how far a value moves from the average) in a country’s democracy score during a woman’s adolescence, her likelihood of joining the workforce increased by at least 2.6%.
To understand this phenomenon, Troiano found evidence that democratic rule reduces discriminatory attitudes toward women in the workplace.
One of the most telling findings comes from survey responses to the statement: “When jobs are scarce, men should have more right to a job than women.” Women who grew up in democratic societies were significantly more likely to reject this idea compared to those raised under autocratic rule.
Troiano also tested alternative explanations—such as the possibility that younger generations are simply more likely to work regardless of political system—but found weaker support for such reasons.
The study also suggests that democracies create more female role models, further encouraging women to enter the labor force.
Troiano said his findings align with what we know from political economy and development economics: people are inspired by leaders who resemble them. If all political figures are men, young boys are more likely to aspire to leadership positions, while girls are not. Democracies help correct such imbalances.
“The role model hypothesis suggests that when young women see other women in professional roles during their impressionable years, they are more likely to pursue careers themselves,” he said. “Male dictators may serve as role models only for boys, while female politicians, who are more common in democracies, are more likely to inspire girls as well.”
Historical data supports this idea. Over the past 50 years, democracies have had significantly higher rates of female political representation than autocratic regimes. Meanwhile, nearly 99% of all dictators in history have been male.
Troiano’s findings carry important implications for policymakers. Policies that protect democracy are not just about protecting political rights—they also have tangible economic benefits, particularly for women. Free and fair elections, gender-inclusive governance, and legal protections for women may also be effective tools for increasing female labor market participation and the resulting economic benefits, Troiano said.
Previous research shows that greater female participation in the workforce can lead to reduced poverty, higher GDP growth, and increased innovation.
Troiano’s research builds on the work of Harvard University economist Claudia Goldin, who won the 2023 Nobel Prize in Economics for research that documented the historical barriers women face in the workforce and the economic factors influencing gender disparities. While Goldin provided a historical and economic analysis of gender disparities, Troiano demonstrated how political and institutional structures around the globe influence these disparities over time.
The study’s title is “Women in the Labor Market and Experienced Political Institutions.” It was published in Economics & Politics, edited by Wiley.
“Democratic institutions are by definition inclusive, including in terms of gender. So I think there is definitely a connection,” Troiano said. “This connection is what inspired me to work on this—to understand how to foster greater labor force participation among women.”
