At a time when the world is short of causes for celebration, here is a candidate: within the next few months women will cross the 50% threshold and become the majority of the American workforce.
Women already 21 the majority of university graduates in the OECD countries and the majority of 22 workers in several rich countries, including the United States. Women 23 many of the world"s great companies, from Pepsico in America to Areva in France. Women"s 24 empowerment is arguably the biggest social change of our times. Just a generation ago, women were 25 confined to repetitive, humble jobs. They were routinely 26 to casual sexism and were expected to 27 their careers when they married and had children. Today they are running some of the organizations that once treated them 28 second-class citizens. Millions of women have been given more control over their own lives. 29 millions of brains have been put to more productive use. Societies that try to 30 this trend—most notably the Arab countries, but also Japan and some southern European countries—will pay a heavy price in the form of wasted talent and frustrated citizens.
This revolution has been 31 with only a modicum of friction. Men have, 32 , welcomed women"s invasion of the workplace, 33 even the most positive changes can be incomplete or unsatisfactory. This particular advance comes with two stings. The first is that women are still 34 at the top of companies. Only 2% of the bosses of America"s largest companies and 5% of their 35 in Britain are women. They are also paid significantly less than men 36 average. The second is that juggling work and child-rearing is difficult. Middle-class couples routinely 37 that they have too little time for their children. But the biggest losers are poor children— 38 in places like America and Britain that have 39 high levels of female 40 in the labor force with a reluctance to spend public money on child care.