The Mysterious Case of Female Protectionism: Gender Bias in Attitudes Toward International Trade

We examine new survey data on attitudes towards international trade showing that women are significantly less likely than men to support increasing trade with foreign nations. This gender difference remains large even when controlling for a broad range of other demographic and socio-economic characteristics among survey respondents. And the gender gap widens markedly among older and married respondents: while male attitudes are relatively stable, women are far more likely to oppose trade when they are older and when they are married. This suggests that labor-market dynamics associated with maternity may be playing an important role in shaping attitudes. Women with family responsibilities that make it more costly or difficult for them to switch jobs may be more sensitive to the risks of economic dislocation associated with trade openness. We fail to find direct evidence supporting this proposition, however, since various indicators of the risks and the costs of job loss do not appear to be related at all to the gender gap in trade preferences or it’s expansion among older and married respondents. We also do not find any strong evidence that gender differences in non-material values or along ideological dimensions have any affect on attitudes toward trade. Female protectionism thus represents a compelling puzzle and, we suggest, a good focal point for theoretical work on the role of gender in political economy. It also holds considerable substantive importance in terms of actual trade policy outcomes, since it suggests that increased female political influence may be associated with higher levels of trade protection.