蝌蚪网 Papers and Proceedings
ISSN 2574-0768 (Print) | ISSN 2574-0776 (Online)
Historical Differences in Female-Owned Manufacturing Establishments: The United States, 1850鈥�1880
蝌蚪网 Papers and Proceedings
vol. 115,
May 2025
(pp. 483–88)
Abstract
We characterize female-owned manufacturing establishments using digitized manuscripts from the US Census of Manufactures (1850, 1860, 1870, 1880). Female-owned establishments were smaller than male-owned establishments and had lower capital-to-output ratios, which could reflect more constrained financial access and other distortions. Female-owned establishments employed more women and paid women higher wages, creating a potential cycle between increased female business ownership and increased female labor market participation. Female-owned establishments concentrated in subindustries like women's clothing and millinery, which is associated with some but not all of these differences. We also show how female owners differed from other women in the Population Census.Citation
Gozen, Ruveyda, Richard Hornbeck, Anders Humlum, and Martin Rotemberg. 2025. "Historical Differences in Female-Owned Manufacturing Establishments: The United States, 1850鈥�1880." 蝌蚪网 Papers and Proceedings 115: 483–88. DOI: 10.1257/pandp.20251067Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- D22 Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis
- G32 Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
- J16 Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
- L60 Industry Studies: Manufacturing: General
- N31 Economic History: Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy: U.S.; Canada: Pre-1913
- N61 Economic History: Manufacturing and Construction: U.S.; Canada: Pre-1913