Woman's Worth
Sexual Economics and the World of Women
📘 About This Book
Originally published in 1981, Woman’s Worth takes up the challenge to the male preserve of economics – which was raised nearly a century ago by Charlotte Perkins Gilman in her classic work Women and Economics. Patriarchal economic systems – socialist as well as capitalist – are founded upon women’s unpaid labour. On this premise, Lisa Leghorn and Katherine Parker base their exploration of the economic basis of women’s culture across cultures: from the USA to South America, the Middle East, socialist countries, Africa and Europe. Women’s Worth is accessible and informative to those who have been intimidated by the term ‘international economics’. Its sources are women’s perspective and experience in many countries, in their words and in their writings, published and unpublished. Thus the authors are able to reveal the economic nature of facets of women’s lives which have hitherto been dismissed by traditional economics as features of family or personal life, and to build a new vision of an economics based in female values.
📖 Summary
Woman's Worth stands as a vital contribution to social science, taking up a critical challenge to the historically male-dominated preserve of economics. Originally published in 1981 and newly relevant with its 2022 availability across its 289 pages, this insightful work follows in the footsteps of Charlotte Perkins Gilman's classic masterpiece, Women and Economics, which was raised nearly a century prior. The central premise of the book is striking and foundational: patriarchal economic systems, encompassing both socialist frameworks and capitalist structures alike, are fundamentally built upon and sustained by women's unpaid labor. Authored by Lisa Leghorn, this text explores how women's unacknowledged and uncompensated work serves as the hidden engine driving global economies, regardless of political ideology or geographic boundaries. To substantiate this bold thesis, the authors embark on a sweeping, cross-cultural exploration examining the economic basis of women's culture across diverse regions of the world. From the United States to South America, spanning the Middle East, venturing into socialist countries, and covering Africa and Europe, the book paints a comprehensive global portrait of female labor and survival. One of the greatest strengths of the text is its accessibility. It is deliberately designed to be informative and approachable for readers who might otherwise feel intimidated by the complex terminology and abstract nature of international economics. Rather than relying solely on dry statistical models or elite macroeconomic theories, the book grounds its arguments in the authentic perspectives and lived experiences of women from many different countries. These insights are shared directly in women's own words and through their writings, drawing from both published and unpublished sources that elevate everyday female reality into the realm of serious economic analysis. By centering women's voices, the work exposes the invisible sacrifices that keep households, communities, and nations functioning. It challenges readers to rethink how value is measured, questioning why labor that sustains human life is routinely marginalized while formal market systems are prioritized. Ultimately, Woman's Worth offers an enduring framework for understanding the deep structural ties between gender, labor, and global economic systems, making it a compelling read for anyone interested in social science, gender studies, and the quest for true economic justice.
🎯 Key Lessons
⚖️ Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
Makes international economics accessible to readers intimidated by the subject
Presents a truly global perspective across multiple continents and political systems
Relies authentically on women's own words, writings, and lived experiences
Builds logically upon important feminist economic traditions established by thinkers like Charlotte Perkins Gilman
⚠️ Cons
May feel dated for readers looking exclusively at modern twenty-first-century digital economies
Focuses heavily on qualitative personal narratives rather than formal macroeconomic data models
❓ FAQ
Who is the author of Woman's Worth? +
The book was authored by Lisa Leghorn, in collaboration with Katherine Parker.
What is the primary argument of the book? +
The book argues that patriarchal economic systems, whether socialist or capitalist, are fundamentally founded upon women's unpaid labor.
How many pages is the 2022 edition? +
The book spans 289 pages.
Which historical work inspired this book? +
It takes up the challenge to male-dominated economics raised nearly a century earlier by Charlotte Perkins Gilman in Women and Economics.
What geographic regions are covered in the text? +
The authors explore women's culture across the USA, South America, the Middle East, socialist countries, Africa, and Europe.
