Local Earnings Inequality Fuels Divergent Beliefs in Women's Meritocracy

This article examines how local gender-based earnings inequality affects women's belief in meritocracy.

Context Matters: Local vs National Gender Gaps

The study uses pooled survey data to analyze the relationship between women's ideological outlooks and their local residential context.

The Core Argument

The paper argues that relative deprivation theory explains disillusionment when women face significant earnings gaps locally, while rising expectations theory captures optimism when parity is achieved.

Key Findings

* Women's belief in the American Dream varies significantly based on their local economic context.

* Ideological disillusionment peaks where women earn much less than men (e.g., ~69 cents on the male dollar).

* Ideological optimism rebounds strongly where women have achieved earnings parity with men.

Methodology & Significance

This research demonstrates how local economic disparities shape political ideology through a clear 'glass ceiling' effect, offering insights into regional variations in belief systems.