Changes in Gender Inequality in Six Eastern European Countries

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Abstract
This article addresses the question whether or not gender inequality on the labour market increased after the collapse of the communist parties in eastern Europe. Are women the losers in the process of transformation? Several researchers claim that women are the victims; they link this claim to the needs of capitalist production, gender ideologies or the lack of social movements to defend women's interests. We argue that a more thorough analysis is necessary to draw the conclusion that women are the losers. We use data from the survey 'Social Stratification in Eastern Europe after 1989' which was conducted in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Russia and Slovakia in 1993. Our conclusion is that women in general do not seem to have suffered major setbacks in their economic positions compared to those of men in the first five years after the demise of state socialism. They did not withdraw in large numbers to become full-time housewives, as predicted by various researchers. The restructuring of the economy was instrumental in preventing a large increase in gender differences. Before 1988, women were over-represented in the service sector and men in industry. Due to the growth of the service sector, women's experience and current positions are useful in maintaining their employment patterns. However, men have improved their positions more in areas related to the emerging market economy. Between countries, we did not find many differences in changes in gender inequality between 1988 and 1993, but there are differences which existed already in 1988 and before.