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The Double X Economy: The Epic Potential of Women's Empowerment
"Linda Scott shines a light on women's essential and often invisible contributions to our global economy--while combining insight, analysis, and interdisciplinary data to make a compelling and actionable case for unleashing women's economic power." --Melinda Gates, author of The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World
A leading thinker's groundbreaking examination of women's economic empowerment
For the past fifteen years, the scholar and activist Linda Scott has played a central role in the rise of the women's economic empowerment movement. A coalition made up of activists, multinational corporations, global NGOs, and governments, it arose in the mid-2000s in response to new global data sets that revealed sobering conclusions about women in the economy, namely that gender inequality is a global problem, and that women's economic subordination drags down national economies and fosters global crises, from severe poverty to human trafficking.
In The Double X Economy: The Epic Potential of Women's Empowerment, Scott argues that women's systematic exclusion from economic participation has created an alternate system that she calls "the Double X Economy" having suffered from a consistent list of severe and worldwide economic exclusions applied throughout history, women have been shaped into an entirely different economic practice. Yet while the women's economy, taken as a whole, is restricted and constantly under threat, when empowered it is more careful, cooperative, and focused on long-term outcomes than the economic order under which the world lives now.
Building on the momentum of the female empowerment movements currently mobilizing worldwide, The Double X Economy presents an entirely new conceptual schema for women's rights based on economic liberty. Accessible and convincing, Scott's groundbreaking study is an assessment of women's historic subjugation, a demonstration of how that subjugation has resulted in myriad intractable problems, and a call to action to once and for all place women on an equal footing with men in order to create a better world.
A leading thinker's groundbreaking examination of women's economic empowerment
For the past fifteen years, the scholar and activist Linda Scott has played a central role in the rise of the women's economic empowerment movement. A coalition made up of activists, multinational corporations, global NGOs, and governments, it arose in the mid-2000s in response to new global data sets that revealed sobering conclusions about women in the economy, namely that gender inequality is a global problem, and that women's economic subordination drags down national economies and fosters global crises, from severe poverty to human trafficking.
In The Double X Economy: The Epic Potential of Women's Empowerment, Scott argues that women's systematic exclusion from economic participation has created an alternate system that she calls "the Double X Economy" having suffered from a consistent list of severe and worldwide economic exclusions applied throughout history, women have been shaped into an entirely different economic practice. Yet while the women's economy, taken as a whole, is restricted and constantly under threat, when empowered it is more careful, cooperative, and focused on long-term outcomes than the economic order under which the world lives now.
Building on the momentum of the female empowerment movements currently mobilizing worldwide, The Double X Economy presents an entirely new conceptual schema for women's rights based on economic liberty. Accessible and convincing, Scott's groundbreaking study is an assessment of women's historic subjugation, a demonstration of how that subjugation has resulted in myriad intractable problems, and a call to action to once and for all place women on an equal footing with men in order to create a better world.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published April 23, 2020
124 people are currently reading
3130 people want to read
About the author
Linda M. Scott
4 books8 followersLinda M. Scott is the Emeritus DP World Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Oxford and a Senior Consulting Fellow at the Royal Institute for International Affairs. She founded, and is now the senior adviser to, the Global Business Coalition for Women’s Economic Empowerment and was selected as one of the top 25 Global Thinkers by Prospect in 2015. Scott works with multinational corporations, international agencies, national governments, and global NGOs designing and testing programs to better include women in the world economy. She lives in Rhode Island.
Librarians note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Librarians note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
July 4, 2020
The Double X Economy is a leading thinker's groundbreaking examination of women's economic empowerment and although it is pretty dense and full of fascinating research, I thoroughly enjoyed it, but if you're after a light read this is not it as you need to be fully engaged the whole time in order to get the most out of it.
Linda Scott coined the phrase “Double X Economy” to address the systemic exclusion of women from the world financial order. In The Double X Economy, Scott argues on the strength of hard data and on-the-ground experience that removing those barriers to women’s success is a win for everyone, regardless of gender. Scott opens our eyes to the myriad economic injustices that constrain women throughout the world: fathers buying and selling daughters against their will; husbands burning brides whose dowries have been spent; men appropriating women’s earnings and widows’ land; banks discriminating against women applying for loans; corporations paying women less than men; men treating women as their intellectual inferiors due to primitive notions of female brain development; governments depriving women of affordable childcare; and so much more.
As Scott takes us from the streets of Accra, where sex trafficking is widespread, to American business schools, where women are routinely patronised, the pervasiveness of the Double X Economy becomes glaringly obvious. But Scott believes that this rampant problem can be solved. She proposes concrete actions and urges her readers to rise up and join the global movement for women’s economic empowerment that is gaining momentum by the day.
This is an important and accessible read if you are willing to put the time in; the research is comprehensive and utterly shocking and there were a plethora of times where I felt my blood boiling. There were also times I became emotional at the discrimination faced by woman all over the world. As an egalitarian, I believe in equality for all so this was the perfect book to fire me up and if you're interested in the topic of equality or feminism then I implore you to pick this up. It's a tough but necessary read. It’s high time women were treated as equals and not made to feel inferior as they currently are. Many thanks to Faber & Faber for an ARC.
Linda Scott coined the phrase “Double X Economy” to address the systemic exclusion of women from the world financial order. In The Double X Economy, Scott argues on the strength of hard data and on-the-ground experience that removing those barriers to women’s success is a win for everyone, regardless of gender. Scott opens our eyes to the myriad economic injustices that constrain women throughout the world: fathers buying and selling daughters against their will; husbands burning brides whose dowries have been spent; men appropriating women’s earnings and widows’ land; banks discriminating against women applying for loans; corporations paying women less than men; men treating women as their intellectual inferiors due to primitive notions of female brain development; governments depriving women of affordable childcare; and so much more.
As Scott takes us from the streets of Accra, where sex trafficking is widespread, to American business schools, where women are routinely patronised, the pervasiveness of the Double X Economy becomes glaringly obvious. But Scott believes that this rampant problem can be solved. She proposes concrete actions and urges her readers to rise up and join the global movement for women’s economic empowerment that is gaining momentum by the day.
This is an important and accessible read if you are willing to put the time in; the research is comprehensive and utterly shocking and there were a plethora of times where I felt my blood boiling. There were also times I became emotional at the discrimination faced by woman all over the world. As an egalitarian, I believe in equality for all so this was the perfect book to fire me up and if you're interested in the topic of equality or feminism then I implore you to pick this up. It's a tough but necessary read. It’s high time women were treated as equals and not made to feel inferior as they currently are. Many thanks to Faber & Faber for an ARC.
abandoned
July 19, 2020I wouldn't normally write reviews for books that I DNF, but there were a couple of things I wanted to say about this one.
*Content warning: sexual violence*
I read c.45% of this book and my main reason for stopping was the repeated use of the phrase 'forced sex'. The first time it happened, it was a reference to a story about a woman from Kenya who was widowed, and her in-laws 'paid a herdsman to have sex with [her] against her will and without a condom'. I was incredibly uncomfortable with this use of 'sex against her will', but the formatting of the page suggested this could be a quote from another source and so I kept going.
However, the next time was just part of the author's own words, and that was enough for me. There is no such thing as 'forced sex' or 'sex against her will'. If sex is forced or against someone's will, it is no longer sex, it is rape. End of story. There is no other term for it, and I found it disappointing that an academic scholar talking about the economic oppression of women (and its links with violence against women and girls) would use such terminology. This particular time it was used immediately after the phrase 'war rape' as if rape in war is rape, but rape outside of war is forced sex. The use of language is critical, particularly when it comes to sexual violence, as we have a long global history of denying the existence of rape and rape culture, so we must call it out for what it is.
Linked to that, I was disappointed not to see a content warning on this book given the frequent references to sexual and physical violence - the discovery of 'widow cleansing' (an act of sexual violence) was a particularly abhorrent example that many would likely find disturbing and triggering, so more consideration should have been given to the impact of this information on the book's audience.
In what I read so far, I also found the book to be quite heteronormative. Here I concede that it would be unfair of me to deem the whole book to be this way as I did not finish it and perhaps she may touch on LGBTQ women later in the book. However, in what I read so far, it felt that the automatic assumption was that women and men were paired off in all situations. For example:
I couldn't access the sources she referenced for this so was unable to check the data, but I don't think it's a coincidence that those statistics all add up to 100% - i.e. only 24% of Swedish women have experienced violence because 76% of Swedish men have not been violent. Aside from being a huge oversimplification (i.e. one man is violent toward one woman, when surely it's more likely that one violent man will be violent to multiple women), it also assumes that all 24% of those women had experienced violence at the hands of a man because they must have a male partner.
Indeed, the concept of women's economic suppression being known as 'The Double X Economy' is problematic in itself, as it ties gender to biology and reinforces the gender binary, thereby excluding trans women and non-binary people. Indeed, a 2018 study by Crossland Solicitors found that 1 in 3 UK employers would not hire a transgender person, Vanessa Sheridan, author of The Complete Guide to Transgender in the Workplace indicates that trans unemployment in the USA is twice the national average. Therefore, any idea of women's economic empowerment that does not include trans women is problematic considering the ways in which they too are economically oppressed.
Finally, I want to make clear that there is a lot of content in this book that I would believe to be a very useful and valid contribution to the work on women's economic empowerment. It is written in an accessible way and if we can bring more attention to the significant gender economic inequality that exists, that is important and a very good thing, so this book is by no means without merit.
In summary, I again want to make very very clear that I did not finish this book, therefore my criticisms relating to heteronormativity and the possible exclusion of trans and non-binary people have that major caveat, and I wouldn't normally write a review like this for a book that I haven't finished. What I do stand by is the problematic use of language to describe sexual violence in this book and the lack of content warnings to alert readers to the plethora of references to violence against women that are contained in this book. I believe this is a valid criticism whether I finished the book or not, and I want to alert other readers who may not wish to read a book that contains those kinds of references.
I must thank the publisher for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review, I wouldn't normally give up on a book that I have been asked to review, but in this case I just couldn't continue.
*Content warning: sexual violence*
I read c.45% of this book and my main reason for stopping was the repeated use of the phrase 'forced sex'. The first time it happened, it was a reference to a story about a woman from Kenya who was widowed, and her in-laws 'paid a herdsman to have sex with [her] against her will and without a condom'. I was incredibly uncomfortable with this use of 'sex against her will', but the formatting of the page suggested this could be a quote from another source and so I kept going.
However, the next time was just part of the author's own words, and that was enough for me. There is no such thing as 'forced sex' or 'sex against her will'. If sex is forced or against someone's will, it is no longer sex, it is rape. End of story. There is no other term for it, and I found it disappointing that an academic scholar talking about the economic oppression of women (and its links with violence against women and girls) would use such terminology. This particular time it was used immediately after the phrase 'war rape' as if rape in war is rape, but rape outside of war is forced sex. The use of language is critical, particularly when it comes to sexual violence, as we have a long global history of denying the existence of rape and rape culture, so we must call it out for what it is.
Linked to that, I was disappointed not to see a content warning on this book given the frequent references to sexual and physical violence - the discovery of 'widow cleansing' (an act of sexual violence) was a particularly abhorrent example that many would likely find disturbing and triggering, so more consideration should have been given to the impact of this information on the book's audience.
In what I read so far, I also found the book to be quite heteronormative. Here I concede that it would be unfair of me to deem the whole book to be this way as I did not finish it and perhaps she may touch on LGBTQ women later in the book. However, in what I read so far, it felt that the automatic assumption was that women and men were paired off in all situations. For example:
"In Sweden for instance, 24 per cent of women have experienced violence at home; in Afghanistan, it's 87 per cent. Certainly, 24 per cent of Swedish women enduring violence is much too many. But let's focus on the 76 per cent of Swedish men who have not hurt their partners, and indeed, have probably never been violent at all, compared with 13 per cent of Afghans we might say that about."
I couldn't access the sources she referenced for this so was unable to check the data, but I don't think it's a coincidence that those statistics all add up to 100% - i.e. only 24% of Swedish women have experienced violence because 76% of Swedish men have not been violent. Aside from being a huge oversimplification (i.e. one man is violent toward one woman, when surely it's more likely that one violent man will be violent to multiple women), it also assumes that all 24% of those women had experienced violence at the hands of a man because they must have a male partner.
Indeed, the concept of women's economic suppression being known as 'The Double X Economy' is problematic in itself, as it ties gender to biology and reinforces the gender binary, thereby excluding trans women and non-binary people. Indeed, a 2018 study by Crossland Solicitors found that 1 in 3 UK employers would not hire a transgender person, Vanessa Sheridan, author of The Complete Guide to Transgender in the Workplace indicates that trans unemployment in the USA is twice the national average. Therefore, any idea of women's economic empowerment that does not include trans women is problematic considering the ways in which they too are economically oppressed.
Finally, I want to make clear that there is a lot of content in this book that I would believe to be a very useful and valid contribution to the work on women's economic empowerment. It is written in an accessible way and if we can bring more attention to the significant gender economic inequality that exists, that is important and a very good thing, so this book is by no means without merit.
In summary, I again want to make very very clear that I did not finish this book, therefore my criticisms relating to heteronormativity and the possible exclusion of trans and non-binary people have that major caveat, and I wouldn't normally write a review like this for a book that I haven't finished. What I do stand by is the problematic use of language to describe sexual violence in this book and the lack of content warnings to alert readers to the plethora of references to violence against women that are contained in this book. I believe this is a valid criticism whether I finished the book or not, and I want to alert other readers who may not wish to read a book that contains those kinds of references.
I must thank the publisher for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review, I wouldn't normally give up on a book that I have been asked to review, but in this case I just couldn't continue.
April 13, 2021
To książka napisana z pasją, bardzo przystępnie i w sposób rzetelny prezentująca dane, które autorka wykorzystuje do przedstawienia problemu, jakim jest obecność (lub nieobecność) i podmiotowość (lub przedmiotowość) kobiet w gospodarce. Podając za przykłady zarówno własne doświadczenia jak i przedstawiając kontekst historyczny, Scott bardzo sprawnie przeprowadza czytelniczkę przez wszystkie argumenty. Na wielki plus zaliczyłabym też wstęp o sytuacji w Polsce napisany specjalnie do polskiego wydania. Poza opisywaniem sytuacji Scott proponuje również rozwiązania i mimo że ja osobiście jednak bardziej przyczepiłabym się do tego nieszczęsnego kapitalizmu, przyjmuję jej argumentację, której używa, by przekonywać o konieczności poprawiania sytuacji kobiet w obecnym neoliberalnym systemie, wykorzystując jego zasady i w ten sposób dążąc do jego poprawienia.
April 6, 2021
Kolejna książka z cyklu „po prostu musisz to przeczytać” ! Linda Scott w „Kapitał kobiet” krok po kroku skutecznie przekonuje czytelniczkę i czytelnika, że równouprawnienie wszystkim się opłaca, a większe zaangażowanie kobiet w gospodarkę zagwarantuje światu wzrost dobrobytu. Zresztą są na to badania, które pokazują związek pomiędzy aktywnością zawodową kobiet a wielkością PKB! I co ważne wykluczanie kobiet z życia gospodarczego to nie żaden zamierzchły schemat, to się dzieje tu i teraz.
Spotkanie światowych ekonomistów, Linda Scott podejmuje temat dotyczący kwestii płci. Od razu odzywają się głosy panów (dziadersów!) „że sa ważniejsze sprawy” albo „kobiety nie powinny pracować”. A jak Linda mówi, że kobiety w wielu krajach są lepiej wykształcone od mężczyzn, to od singapurskiego ekonomisty słyszy, że „w jego kraju hehe dziewczyny ida do college’u hehe tylko po to by złapać dobrego meza, hehe”. Dżizas. Kobiety stanowią połowę obywateli tego świata, a uprzedzenia żywią ludzie posiadający realną władzę na świecie...
Autorka nie tylko wytyka błędy, przytacza badania swoje i innych, wskazuje źródła problemu, ale też jak na tacy podaje konkretne realne i skuteczne działania, które należy wdrożyć. (rozdział o afrykańskich kobietach, które rozkwitają mając możliwość bycia konsultantką Avonu ♥️).
Nie będę Wam tu opowiadać całej książki, ale przytoczę Wam kilka moich ulubionych cytatów:
„Badania wskazują, że branże zdominowane przez mężczyzn oferują wyższe wynagrodzenia, ponieważ są zdominowane przez mężczyzn”.
„To nie bogate kraje stać na wyzwolenie kobiet - to wyzwolenie kobiet czyni kraje bogatymi”.
„Najlepszą metodą stymulowania wzrostu gospodarczego jest wyciagniecie mężatek z kuchni”.
To co, zachęciłam do przeczytania?
Spotkanie światowych ekonomistów, Linda Scott podejmuje temat dotyczący kwestii płci. Od razu odzywają się głosy panów (dziadersów!) „że sa ważniejsze sprawy” albo „kobiety nie powinny pracować”. A jak Linda mówi, że kobiety w wielu krajach są lepiej wykształcone od mężczyzn, to od singapurskiego ekonomisty słyszy, że „w jego kraju hehe dziewczyny ida do college’u hehe tylko po to by złapać dobrego meza, hehe”. Dżizas. Kobiety stanowią połowę obywateli tego świata, a uprzedzenia żywią ludzie posiadający realną władzę na świecie...
Autorka nie tylko wytyka błędy, przytacza badania swoje i innych, wskazuje źródła problemu, ale też jak na tacy podaje konkretne realne i skuteczne działania, które należy wdrożyć. (rozdział o afrykańskich kobietach, które rozkwitają mając możliwość bycia konsultantką Avonu ♥️).
Nie będę Wam tu opowiadać całej książki, ale przytoczę Wam kilka moich ulubionych cytatów:
„Badania wskazują, że branże zdominowane przez mężczyzn oferują wyższe wynagrodzenia, ponieważ są zdominowane przez mężczyzn”.
„To nie bogate kraje stać na wyzwolenie kobiet - to wyzwolenie kobiet czyni kraje bogatymi”.
„Najlepszą metodą stymulowania wzrostu gospodarczego jest wyciagniecie mężatek z kuchni”.
To co, zachęciłam do przeczytania?
January 22, 2022
I'm enraged.
This is possibly one of the most impactful books I've ever read, or that indeed, anyone will have read. In fact, I strongly believe that Chapter 1 (as a minimum) should be mandatory reading for everyone on this earth.
Lindo Scott is not only an accomplished academic, but also an incredible writer. This is one of the few non-fiction books I've read where each sentence is critical. There is no repetition, she does not condescend to her readers. You have to keep up.
Please read this. And when you do, let me know. Let's chat.
This is possibly one of the most impactful books I've ever read, or that indeed, anyone will have read. In fact, I strongly believe that Chapter 1 (as a minimum) should be mandatory reading for everyone on this earth.
Lindo Scott is not only an accomplished academic, but also an incredible writer. This is one of the few non-fiction books I've read where each sentence is critical. There is no repetition, she does not condescend to her readers. You have to keep up.
Please read this. And when you do, let me know. Let's chat.
March 3, 2022
If you read only one book this year you should read this one. If your a man it will change your perception & if you are a women it will strengthen your resolve. The biggest oppressed group in the world now & pretty much forever are women. Linda Scott doesn't make out that all men are bad. Far from it. She says time & again that there plenty if not a large majority of men who are good guys. Her target is the minority of so-called alpha male men who screw things up for the rest of us. If ever a group needed to be suppressed it is them. The tone of this book is nevertheless very positive illustrating what can & being done to rectify this situation in every part of the world. There are heartening stories which show that if women are liberated then it is good for men & the economy. Reading this book which was recommended to me by my daughter is one of best things I done for some time. It opened my eyes & gave me much to think about. This book is not a polemic designed solely to appeal only to our hearts & emotions. It is one that appeals to our heads. Even the most desiccated number cruncher on reading it will see how improving the status & rights of women will benefit us all.
February 2, 2022
Równouprawnienie kobiet i mężczyzn to temat szeroki i niezwykle ważny. Bo świat powinien czerpać z różnorodności i usuwać bariery w dostępie do edukacji, rynku pracy i aktywności społecznych. Status ekonomiczny kobiet jest bardzo zróżnicowany, w zależności od tego, w jakiej części naszego globu się urodziłyśmy. I to pokazuje Linda Scott. Podobnie jak twarde dane na temat tego, jak ważna jest niezależność finansowa kobiet dla dobrobytu ich samych, ich dzieci, ich mężczyzn, gospodarek ich krajów.
Odsłuch tej książki w formie audiobooka był mi niewystarczający i musiałam zakupić egzemplarz papierowy, aby wracać do niektórych przykładów tego, jak świat urządzony przez mężczyzn, napędzany testosteronem i toksyczną męskością szkodzi nam wszystkim i jak ważne jest zaprzestanie karania kobiet za macierzyństwo.
Gorąco polecam!
Odsłuch tej książki w formie audiobooka był mi niewystarczający i musiałam zakupić egzemplarz papierowy, aby wracać do niektórych przykładów tego, jak świat urządzony przez mężczyzn, napędzany testosteronem i toksyczną męskością szkodzi nam wszystkim i jak ważne jest zaprzestanie karania kobiet za macierzyństwo.
Gorąco polecam!
May 31, 2021
Autorka przytacza bardzo dużo informacji i statystyk, które potwierdzają jej tezę, że równouprawnienie kobiet w zakresie ekonomicznym opłaca się wszystkim na całym świecie.
Linda Scott uważa bowiem (i ma na to wiele potwierdzających to statystyk), że zwiększenie udziału kobiet w globalnej gospodarce podwyższyłoby PKB, zmniejszyłoby ubóstwo, a także zwiększyłoby poziom wykształcenia oraz wsparcie dla różnych akcji charytatywnych.
Autorka zwraca też uwagę na to, że rządy wielu krajów, starając się prowadzić działania dążące do równouprawnienia, robią to w sposób niewłaściwy. Bo najważniejsze według autorki jest odciążenie kobiet od opieki nad dziećmi to znaczy zwiększenie ilości żłobków, przedszkoli, wsparcia tak zwanego allomacierzyństwa, czyli opieki nad dziećmi przez osoby inne niż matka. Allomacierzyństwo jest obecne w wielu społeczeństwach na całym świecie i było naturalnym rozwiązaniem również w bardzo odległej przeszłości.
Linda Scott uważa bowiem (i ma na to wiele potwierdzających to statystyk), że zwiększenie udziału kobiet w globalnej gospodarce podwyższyłoby PKB, zmniejszyłoby ubóstwo, a także zwiększyłoby poziom wykształcenia oraz wsparcie dla różnych akcji charytatywnych.
Autorka zwraca też uwagę na to, że rządy wielu krajów, starając się prowadzić działania dążące do równouprawnienia, robią to w sposób niewłaściwy. Bo najważniejsze według autorki jest odciążenie kobiet od opieki nad dziećmi to znaczy zwiększenie ilości żłobków, przedszkoli, wsparcia tak zwanego allomacierzyństwa, czyli opieki nad dziećmi przez osoby inne niż matka. Allomacierzyństwo jest obecne w wielu społeczeństwach na całym świecie i było naturalnym rozwiązaniem również w bardzo odległej przeszłości.
March 21, 2024
Powiem tak; na pewno książka ma jakieś tam wady. Czasami sporo jest wywodów, które nie dotyczą naszego życia w Polsce i podążamy za systemami prawnymi w USA czy zasadami, które rządzą różnymi organizacjami pozarządowymi.
ALE! Czuję się zobowiązana dać 5/5 tej książce, ponieważ mimo wszystko (a może ze względu właśnie na wszystko) uważam, że stanowi źródło cennej wiedzy i nikomu nie zaszkodzi jej przeczytanie. A może nawet spojrzymy inaczej na pewne sprawy. I życzliwiej na siebie nawzajem.
ALE! Czuję się zobowiązana dać 5/5 tej książce, ponieważ mimo wszystko (a może ze względu właśnie na wszystko) uważam, że stanowi źródło cennej wiedzy i nikomu nie zaszkodzi jej przeczytanie. A może nawet spojrzymy inaczej na pewne sprawy. I życzliwiej na siebie nawzajem.
November 1, 2023
gdyby ludzie w lipcach mieli ta książkę
April 1, 2025
Важлива і надихаюча книга, але моментами застаріла і трішки затягнута. Хотілось побачити більше ідей щодо вирішень.
Схожа на «Невидимі жінки», проте через економічну призму.
Схожа на «Невидимі жінки», проте через економічну призму.
December 18, 2020
Fantastisch boek! Echt een aanrader voor iedereen!
April 13, 2024
"Prawda was wyzwoli, ale najpierw was wkurzy"
August 7, 2024
I struggled with this book as it pointed toward naivety and positionality of privilege. Some of the experienced examples shared, such as university attendances and career progression, as well as Christmas spending, are helpful to understand the political economic influence women have on these of the events. However, when compared to gender inequalities, domestic injustices and violence towards women in some cultures, it felt incompatible with one another. It would have been useful to consider the cultural perspectives and unwritten laws when it comes to women having financial independence, again in some cultures. I'm not sure, but something was missing from this text, which did not keep me engaged.
November 19, 2022
É revoltante o que continua a acontecer às mulheres por esse mundo fora, incluindo nos países epitetados de primeiro mundo.
Neste, encontramos uma discriminação detalhada, sustentada factual e estatisticamente -tão ao gosto do cérebro racional supostamente preponderante nos seres humanos XY- que desmonta milénios de preconceito, base das mais aviltantes atrocidades e violações de direitos humanos a que o maior subgrupo da humanidade tem vindo a ser, constante e repetidamente, submetido.
Leitura obrigatória para quem quer, e portanto deve exigir, um mundo mais harmonioso e equilibrado.
Neste, encontramos uma discriminação detalhada, sustentada factual e estatisticamente -tão ao gosto do cérebro racional supostamente preponderante nos seres humanos XY- que desmonta milénios de preconceito, base das mais aviltantes atrocidades e violações de direitos humanos a que o maior subgrupo da humanidade tem vindo a ser, constante e repetidamente, submetido.
Leitura obrigatória para quem quer, e portanto deve exigir, um mundo mais harmonioso e equilibrado.
July 26, 2021
An accessible and important argument for women's economic empowerment. It's fiercely argued and global in scope.
The main body of the text is all fantastically summarised in the first and last chapters. Linda Scott is a renowned academic as well as an activist. She's devoted her career to researching and assisting women in economically vulnerable positions by providing necessities like sanitary pads, independent incomes and education.
One of the first things that stuck out to me in reading this is how patently it avoids intersectionality. Scott puts forward a compelling argument in chapter 7 that a lot of the women's movement's gains from the 1970's are currently the ones most severely under attack. These include a lot of legislative changes which made it easy for traditional housewives to move into the workforce. According to the Double X Economy analysis this was one of the principle reason economies like Sweden and the US took off in that period, mobilizing half its population in a way which was never done before. It's not hard to then take that argument and appropriately apply it to developing economies where women are still kept out of the workforce by men.
However, this book does not contain, as far as I can tell, a single mention of LGBT women. This is significant in so far as a big part of Scott's argument in Chapters 6 & 7 presuppose a typical women is straight and able to have children, if given the correct economic circumstances. Whilst Scott encourages international trade to take a 'gender-lens' approach, it often seems she's using the term in the traditional sense. In no way do I think, after finishing the book, that this was done maliciously or to write these women out of the narrative. Scott repeatedly demonstrates a keen sense of empathy for all women, it just happens to be on a scale defined far more by nationality and class than gender identity.
This take may not be popular for everyone. But, in my opinion, authors shouldn't have to include every category of analysis, and the argument's put forward here were clear, well articulated and very effective.
Scott takes examples from across the world. It's obvious throughout the book how much Scott respects and understands the importance of a nuanced take when discussing women's roles across the world. Scott's research on women-run business' affiliation with corporate conglomerates is particularly effective, as is her work on introducing sanitary pads to rural Uganda to improve school attendance. Her research goes from the very poorest women in Uganda, Bangladesh and Ghana right up to corporate culture faced by women in Sweden, the United States and the UK. There are hints of Caroline Criado Perez's Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men here which complement both texts nicely. Scott has some superb takes on IQ bigotry, equal pay, financial institution's misogynistic culture and ways women can take action through consumer power.
There is undoubtedly a fantastic follow up here, which takes a look at Scott's brilliant ideas but factors in more intersectional issues. It's a great piece of research and full to the brim with powerful ways countries can help further women's economic empowerment.
The main body of the text is all fantastically summarised in the first and last chapters. Linda Scott is a renowned academic as well as an activist. She's devoted her career to researching and assisting women in economically vulnerable positions by providing necessities like sanitary pads, independent incomes and education.
One of the first things that stuck out to me in reading this is how patently it avoids intersectionality. Scott puts forward a compelling argument in chapter 7 that a lot of the women's movement's gains from the 1970's are currently the ones most severely under attack. These include a lot of legislative changes which made it easy for traditional housewives to move into the workforce. According to the Double X Economy analysis this was one of the principle reason economies like Sweden and the US took off in that period, mobilizing half its population in a way which was never done before. It's not hard to then take that argument and appropriately apply it to developing economies where women are still kept out of the workforce by men.
However, this book does not contain, as far as I can tell, a single mention of LGBT women. This is significant in so far as a big part of Scott's argument in Chapters 6 & 7 presuppose a typical women is straight and able to have children, if given the correct economic circumstances. Whilst Scott encourages international trade to take a 'gender-lens' approach, it often seems she's using the term in the traditional sense. In no way do I think, after finishing the book, that this was done maliciously or to write these women out of the narrative. Scott repeatedly demonstrates a keen sense of empathy for all women, it just happens to be on a scale defined far more by nationality and class than gender identity.
This take may not be popular for everyone. But, in my opinion, authors shouldn't have to include every category of analysis, and the argument's put forward here were clear, well articulated and very effective.
Scott takes examples from across the world. It's obvious throughout the book how much Scott respects and understands the importance of a nuanced take when discussing women's roles across the world. Scott's research on women-run business' affiliation with corporate conglomerates is particularly effective, as is her work on introducing sanitary pads to rural Uganda to improve school attendance. Her research goes from the very poorest women in Uganda, Bangladesh and Ghana right up to corporate culture faced by women in Sweden, the United States and the UK. There are hints of Caroline Criado Perez's Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men here which complement both texts nicely. Scott has some superb takes on IQ bigotry, equal pay, financial institution's misogynistic culture and ways women can take action through consumer power.
There is undoubtedly a fantastic follow up here, which takes a look at Scott's brilliant ideas but factors in more intersectional issues. It's a great piece of research and full to the brim with powerful ways countries can help further women's economic empowerment.
August 24, 2023
Linda Scott, seorang profesor Oxford yang kerap menulis untuk World Economic Forum, Bloomberg, dan Forbes terkait isu gender dan ekonomi menjabarkan banyak hal di buku ini. The Double X Economy mengungkap bahwa peminggiran perempuan dalam bidang ekonomi berdampak pada ekonomi global.
Scott tampak membahas dengan tajam tentang bagaimana perempuan masih belum banyak dilibatkan dan didiskriminasi dalam bidang akademis ekonomi, unpaid work, hak untuk kepemilikan properti, keterbatasan mobilitas dan pendapatan, kerentanan terhadap kekerasan, dan segudang hal lainnya membuat masih banyak perempuan yang belum aktif secara ekonomi.
Padahal, menurut Scott, ketika tingkat kesetaraan gender tinggi, pendapatan nasional dan standar hidup juga akan mengikuti untuk melepaskan sebuah negara dari kemiskinan dan konflik.
Scott bukan hanya memaparkan dan menganalisis data-data dan kondisi ketimpangan di negara-negara seperti Ghana yang ia amati, namun juga aktif mengusulkan berbagai solusi dan tindakan yang ia lakukan di negara tersebut. Mulai membangun jaringan kewirausahaan untuk perempuan, dan mengadvokasi isu-isu perempuan di tingkat pengambilan kebijakan. Tak heran, tulisan Scott terasa tajam dan tak jarang mengungkap pengalamannya sendiri.
Penulis juga mematahkan stigma-stigma tentang perbandingan kemampuan kognitif perempuan dan laki-laki, perempuan yang dianggap tak mengerti ekonomi, hingga perempuan yang dianggap boleh diupah lebih murah karena tidak memiliki pendidikan mumpuni, kekurangan motivasi serta ambisi, juga lemah.
Dengan kedalaman perspektifnya, Scott yang kritis, menemukan detail-detail fakta. Seperti fakta bahwa purchase decision yang kebanyakan dikontrol oleh perempuan sesungguhnya adalah sebuah kekuatan yang berdampak besar pada kesejahteraan rumah tangga hingga GDP. Ia juga memberikan solusi konkret yang bisa dilakukan secara besar maupun individu. Secara umum, buku ini tetap bisa diikuti oleh pembaca meski tak berlatar belakang ekonomi.
"A focus on gender is, in its view, a primary strategy for moving the world economy toward a humane and sustainable future."
Scott tampak membahas dengan tajam tentang bagaimana perempuan masih belum banyak dilibatkan dan didiskriminasi dalam bidang akademis ekonomi, unpaid work, hak untuk kepemilikan properti, keterbatasan mobilitas dan pendapatan, kerentanan terhadap kekerasan, dan segudang hal lainnya membuat masih banyak perempuan yang belum aktif secara ekonomi.
Padahal, menurut Scott, ketika tingkat kesetaraan gender tinggi, pendapatan nasional dan standar hidup juga akan mengikuti untuk melepaskan sebuah negara dari kemiskinan dan konflik.
Scott bukan hanya memaparkan dan menganalisis data-data dan kondisi ketimpangan di negara-negara seperti Ghana yang ia amati, namun juga aktif mengusulkan berbagai solusi dan tindakan yang ia lakukan di negara tersebut. Mulai membangun jaringan kewirausahaan untuk perempuan, dan mengadvokasi isu-isu perempuan di tingkat pengambilan kebijakan. Tak heran, tulisan Scott terasa tajam dan tak jarang mengungkap pengalamannya sendiri.
Penulis juga mematahkan stigma-stigma tentang perbandingan kemampuan kognitif perempuan dan laki-laki, perempuan yang dianggap tak mengerti ekonomi, hingga perempuan yang dianggap boleh diupah lebih murah karena tidak memiliki pendidikan mumpuni, kekurangan motivasi serta ambisi, juga lemah.
Dengan kedalaman perspektifnya, Scott yang kritis, menemukan detail-detail fakta. Seperti fakta bahwa purchase decision yang kebanyakan dikontrol oleh perempuan sesungguhnya adalah sebuah kekuatan yang berdampak besar pada kesejahteraan rumah tangga hingga GDP. Ia juga memberikan solusi konkret yang bisa dilakukan secara besar maupun individu. Secara umum, buku ini tetap bisa diikuti oleh pembaca meski tak berlatar belakang ekonomi.
"A focus on gender is, in its view, a primary strategy for moving the world economy toward a humane and sustainable future."
August 19, 2023
Pozycja, którą w mojej opinii należy przeczytać. Wiele opisywanych zjawisk było mi bardziej lub mniej znanych, ale z pewnością był to spory zastrzyk wiedzy, faktów i wskazanie kierunku dalszego zgłębiania tematu. Samo przeczytanie zajęło mi dość dużo czasu, co było jedynie kwestią poczucia głębokiej niesprawiedliwości vel wkurwienia. Ostrzegam. Ogromny plus za wstęp autorki do polskiego wydania wraz z komentarzem odnośnie obecnej sytuacji Polek. Nie pamiętam, żebym spotkała się gdzieś z przedsłowiem autora (!) do obcojęzycznego wydania w tym typie.
Szczegółem w całym odbiorze książki są komentarze i anegdoty autorki (jej ogólna, aktywna obecność) - dla mnie na plus. Czasami nie są wolne od uproszczeń/ generalizacji, cis/hetero spojrzenia na świat. Nie przywiązuję jednak do tego tak dużej wagi i wychodzę z założenia, że wynika to z stworzenia bardzo przystępnego opisu ogromnego zagadnienia, tak pomijanego przecież od zawsze.
Szczegółem w całym odbiorze książki są komentarze i anegdoty autorki (jej ogólna, aktywna obecność) - dla mnie na plus. Czasami nie są wolne od uproszczeń/ generalizacji, cis/hetero spojrzenia na świat. Nie przywiązuję jednak do tego tak dużej wagi i wychodzę z założenia, że wynika to z stworzenia bardzo przystępnego opisu ogromnego zagadnienia, tak pomijanego przecież od zawsze.
November 3, 2024
Miłym gestem było napisanie rozdziału do polskiego wydania. Poza tym bardzo nierówna. Miewała świetne momenty, ale były też całe rozdziały, kiedy musiałam się zmuszać do przebrnięcia. Jeśli książka jest piaskiem, a pojedyncze ważne fragmenty i informacje z tekstu kamieniami, to warto by było przesiać całą książkę przez sito, żeby pozbyć się większości mętnych wspomnień i historii autorki. I wreszcie: kto wpadł na tak absurdalny pomysł przedrukowania kolorowych wykresów jako czarno-białe? Przez to były całkowicie do wyrzucenia. Podsumowując: niewypał o dobrych intencjach.
February 5, 2025
Whilst I think some of the verbiage and terms used in some sections (i.e. - see "forced sex") is at times outdated, occassionally borders on offensive, and lacks some social and cultural comprehension; overall the concepts, ideas, and analyses in this book were profound, extensively researched, eye-opening, and unfortunately largely harrowing. Now, more than ever, I am more aware of the critical importance of financial literacy and independence as a requirement for women's liberation.
February 5, 2023
За переклад цієї книги, я пробачила Якабу їх минулі сексистські гріхи. На мій погляд, "Економіка з двома ХХ" ст��їть в одному рядку з "Невидимими жінками" Перес і "Таємницею жіночності" Фрідан, і я б рекомендувала її геть усім.
February 4, 2021
Eye-opener! Convincing story on how removing barriers to women’s success is a win for everyone, and call to action to place women on an equal footing with men in order to create a better world.
August 28, 2023
Najbardziej lubię te książki, gdzie jest godzina przypisów 👌
October 27, 2022
Pretty good stuff here. Interesting statistics etc. A little bit patronizing at some points but that’s to be expected for a book that’s supposed to be accessible to everyone I guess. 4 stars.
April 1, 2023
The most scholarly book on female empowerment I have read, and the only one highlighting and focusing on economic empowerment. A must-read.
March 21, 2021
A highly recommended read for both men and women! Eye opening about the importance of female economic empowerment for solving social and economic issues around the world.
January 27, 2021
3.25? / 5
This is a pretty interesting book about women's economic empowerment, how the global economy flourishes when women are enfranchised and involved in economics, and useful facts and case studies to debunk misogynistic myths about women and finance.
Like I said, overall I think this is worth a read. It does help to know a little bit about the topics she talks about beforehand just so you are able to think independently and not take her word as Truth. For example, the first chapter incorporates the climate crisis and goes into how giving girls in Africa a proper education and getting them into jobs would naturally stall population growth, a win for the climate crisis, supposedly. If I didn't know anything else about this topic I would have just believed her. However, such an argument is based on poor (and ethically dodgy) logic. First of all, Africa is currently consuming at the rate of 0.7 Earths, as compared to 5 Earths for the US. Africa and other countries/continents in the Global South are NOT (currently) PART OF THE PROBLEM - that would be the Global North, our extractive economies and systems of oppression (not least of the planet). We are the ones ploughing out the pollution, not countries in the Global South, so we are focusing on the wrong places in trying to blame them. Furthermore, when you think about it, trying to stop black people from having families is a bit weird, maybe even soft eugenics-y. There's actually a name for this line of thinking: eco-facism: go look it up. (And by the way everyone's fave Dave Attenborough is a proponent of this.) (Just to clarify I am 10000% in favour of protecting girls in African countries and standing with them in striving for women & girls' economic empowerment, just not when the end goal is to stop them having kids lol.)
All that is to say that, this is a very interesting and well put-together book, however just go into it a bit discerning, be aware you might agree with some of the counter-arguments she takes down (though that's also useful because she gave me some different ways to see these issues, while still having women's best interests at heart). I might not have agreed with her on everything but I still learnt a lot, would just advise others to research around the stuff she's talking about!
This is a pretty interesting book about women's economic empowerment, how the global economy flourishes when women are enfranchised and involved in economics, and useful facts and case studies to debunk misogynistic myths about women and finance.
Like I said, overall I think this is worth a read. It does help to know a little bit about the topics she talks about beforehand just so you are able to think independently and not take her word as Truth. For example, the first chapter incorporates the climate crisis and goes into how giving girls in Africa a proper education and getting them into jobs would naturally stall population growth, a win for the climate crisis, supposedly. If I didn't know anything else about this topic I would have just believed her. However, such an argument is based on poor (and ethically dodgy) logic. First of all, Africa is currently consuming at the rate of 0.7 Earths, as compared to 5 Earths for the US. Africa and other countries/continents in the Global South are NOT (currently) PART OF THE PROBLEM - that would be the Global North, our extractive economies and systems of oppression (not least of the planet). We are the ones ploughing out the pollution, not countries in the Global South, so we are focusing on the wrong places in trying to blame them. Furthermore, when you think about it, trying to stop black people from having families is a bit weird, maybe even soft eugenics-y. There's actually a name for this line of thinking: eco-facism: go look it up. (And by the way everyone's fave Dave Attenborough is a proponent of this.) (Just to clarify I am 10000% in favour of protecting girls in African countries and standing with them in striving for women & girls' economic empowerment, just not when the end goal is to stop them having kids lol.)
All that is to say that, this is a very interesting and well put-together book, however just go into it a bit discerning, be aware you might agree with some of the counter-arguments she takes down (though that's also useful because she gave me some different ways to see these issues, while still having women's best interests at heart). I might not have agreed with her on everything but I still learnt a lot, would just advise others to research around the stuff she's talking about!
September 30, 2022
Das weibliche Kapital und das Buch Unsichtbare Frauen sind die zwei besten faktenbasiertesten Bücher über den Feminismus, die ich je gelesen habe! (Bisher nur einen kleinen bruchteil über Feminismus gelesen)
Faszinierend ist einerseits die verschiedensten Kulturen, bei denen Frauen unterdrückt werden; die interessanten Hilfsorganisationen, wie sie versuchen dagegen zu steuern und auch die Probleme und möglichen Maßnahmen in der westlichen Welt.
Insgesamt bietet es einen guten Überblick, was man über Fraundiskriminierung wissen sollte und das es sich lohnt Frauen beim Geld einzubeziehen!
Zur Gefühlsseite... Am liebsten hätte ich das Buch tausend Mal gegen die Wand geworfen, weil mich vieles so wütend und traurig macht. Aber zum Ende hin, bin ich einfach nur froh, es gelesen zu haben um eine bessere Weltsicht zu haben.
Faszinierend ist einerseits die verschiedensten Kulturen, bei denen Frauen unterdrückt werden; die interessanten Hilfsorganisationen, wie sie versuchen dagegen zu steuern und auch die Probleme und möglichen Maßnahmen in der westlichen Welt.
Insgesamt bietet es einen guten Überblick, was man über Fraundiskriminierung wissen sollte und das es sich lohnt Frauen beim Geld einzubeziehen!
Zur Gefühlsseite... Am liebsten hätte ich das Buch tausend Mal gegen die Wand geworfen, weil mich vieles so wütend und traurig macht. Aber zum Ende hin, bin ich einfach nur froh, es gelesen zu haben um eine bessere Weltsicht zu haben.
April 8, 2021
The Double X Economy~~
As opposed to our current XY economy, which is run exclusively by men, The Double X Economy: The Epic Potential of Women's Empowerment by Linda Scott argues very effectively for a world economy managed more with women in mind and equally influenced by women. She says the bias begins with the universities where economics department are still hostile to women professors and students. You say economics is boring? Read this book and tell me it's still boring!
Scott has traveled widely to find ways to empower helpless, landless women in Africa. Her personal stories are heartbreaking. Can you imagine how terrifying it is for African girls suddenly getting their period and unable to hide the fact from tyrannical men waiting to snatch them up as slaves/wives?
Scott attends international summits that barely have any women economists or discussions about improving women's empowerment. Statistics showing how robust and consistently positive economies would be with the earning potential of women are either ignored or sneered at by men. Men call data collected by women soft (like Scott's) while their armchair data is hard. That's bullshit.
It's a fairly dense book as far as information goes, but disturbing as well. Especially if you are a person concerned about human rights.
I suggest it's also a book for people concerned about building the economy, relieving world poverty and hunger, and focusing more on things like climate change, the environment, and domestic or family issues. She was writing this book while Trump still loomed in the picture and the 2020 election hadn't taken place. She must be relieved.
But Scott says the public must voice its interest in a double x economy so that government will act. Putting the responsibility all on government will not get as much done as our buying from women-owned businesses or gender-neutral corporations and businesses.
She asks that we look at the Bloomberg Gender Equality list to know where to shop. There's more tips as well.
I hope you check out the book!
As opposed to our current XY economy, which is run exclusively by men, The Double X Economy: The Epic Potential of Women's Empowerment by Linda Scott argues very effectively for a world economy managed more with women in mind and equally influenced by women. She says the bias begins with the universities where economics department are still hostile to women professors and students. You say economics is boring? Read this book and tell me it's still boring!
Scott has traveled widely to find ways to empower helpless, landless women in Africa. Her personal stories are heartbreaking. Can you imagine how terrifying it is for African girls suddenly getting their period and unable to hide the fact from tyrannical men waiting to snatch them up as slaves/wives?
Scott attends international summits that barely have any women economists or discussions about improving women's empowerment. Statistics showing how robust and consistently positive economies would be with the earning potential of women are either ignored or sneered at by men. Men call data collected by women soft (like Scott's) while their armchair data is hard. That's bullshit.
It's a fairly dense book as far as information goes, but disturbing as well. Especially if you are a person concerned about human rights.
I suggest it's also a book for people concerned about building the economy, relieving world poverty and hunger, and focusing more on things like climate change, the environment, and domestic or family issues. She was writing this book while Trump still loomed in the picture and the 2020 election hadn't taken place. She must be relieved.
But Scott says the public must voice its interest in a double x economy so that government will act. Putting the responsibility all on government will not get as much done as our buying from women-owned businesses or gender-neutral corporations and businesses.
She asks that we look at the Bloomberg Gender Equality list to know where to shop. There's more tips as well.
I hope you check out the book!
December 24, 2020
With a hint of being the Sapiens of women, this book goes through the history of women and their role in society from hunter gatherer societies through the agricultural revolution, from chimpanzees and bonobos to how religion exported different treatment of women. I mainly picked up this book because of its partial focus on developing countries, speaking about economic empowerment through women’s savings groups in Bangladesh and farmer cooperatives in Tanzania.
The Double X Economy is based on the concept that currently (mostly women’s) unpaid work is not calculated in monetary terms, and hence deemed less important. If things like family care were included in GDP, would perception change?
Whereas Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez changed my perspective on how the systems we live in are based more on men than on women, The Double X Economy added depth and detail.
The Double X Economy is based on the concept that currently (mostly women’s) unpaid work is not calculated in monetary terms, and hence deemed less important. If things like family care were included in GDP, would perception change?
Whereas Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez changed my perspective on how the systems we live in are based more on men than on women, The Double X Economy added depth and detail.
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