The Motherhood Salary: The Financial Recognition of Motherhood

Abstract

This paper concerns a moral argument for why there ought to be an economic response to women’s inequality they face as a result of motherhood. The burden of unpaid labor and less opportunities to engage in income-generating labor and influential positions falls upon many women as a result of their desires to become mothers. In contrast, the opposite is true for fathers that more easily obtain success in career after entering parenthood. Despite the work of mothers accounting for a huge economic sector, it is not paid. Despite being economically beneficial, this benefit falls mostly upon men denying the potential economic gain that women could have. Labor ought to result in a reward in terms of pay based on the value, productivity, and importance it has. The work carried out by mothers is valuable and important labor that takes up more time and energy than other labor. Due to the importance of motherhood and the hard work it is, it ought to be rewarded. I will argue that motherhood ought to be valued as a career entitled to a salary. The motherhood salary will be compared to the salary of similar sectors including teaching and it should be paid by the states as motherhood is important for the well-being of the society.