Political Instability, Gender Discrimination, and Population Growth in Development Countries

Citation:

Lehmijoki, Ulla and Tapio Palokangas. 2006. “Political Instability, Gender Discrimination, and Population Growth in Development Countries.” Journal of Population Economics 19 (2): 431-46.

Authors: Ulla Lehmijoki, Tapio Palokangas

Abstract:

This paper introduces gender discrimination and population growth into a model of political economy. The government keeps up the military for the sake of political instability in the country. It is shown that if the risk of internal conflicts is high, then the government needs a bigger military and a larger supply of young men for it. The government is then willing to boost population growth by keeping women outside the production (e.g. neglecting their education or restricting their movement). Some empirical evidence on the interdependence of political instability, population growth, and gender discrimination is provided. 

Keywords: population growth, discrimination, political instability

Topics: Armed Conflict, Civil Wars, Combatants, Male Combatants, Economies, Economic Inequality, Poverty, Gender, Women, Men, Girls, Boys, Gender Roles, Gendered Power Relations, Gender Hierarchies, Households, Military Forces & Armed Groups, Political Economies, Religion, Rights, Human Rights, Women's Rights Regions: Africa, MENA, North Africa, Asia, Middle East

Year: 2006