Women receive the majority of undergraduate and graduate degrees in the United States, and more than 40 percent of married American mothers earn more than their husbands. Women are accumulating wealth faster than men-so much so that by 2030 more than half of the world’s total wealth will be owned by women. But the worst of times is also in plain sight. A study on gender equality funded by the Gates Foundation concluded that “with just 11 years to go until 2030, nearly 40 percent of the world’s girls and women-1.5 billion-live in countries failing on gender equality.” Women’s advantage in life expectancy relative to men in the United States and other developed countries is on the decline. Moreover, women’s fortunes tend to diverge based on several factors: whether they have kids, whether they are single or in a stable relationship, and whether they are married or divorce. This has created vast disparities among women themselves. These momentous trends spell massive changes not just for society but also for capital markets because women are different perspectives to the workplace; and for innovation, because women are increasingly becoming entrepreneurs. Women are not yet on an equal footing with men, but large transformations are underway due to their new roles in the economy and society.
The new socioeconomic position of women has far-reaching implications. Women increasingly pursue an education, work outside of the home, and have fewer babies. In addition, it also matters that women tend to live longer than men. They will get rich before the world as we know it comes to an end in 2030. The probability that a woman nowadays will accumulate enough wealth to enjoy a comfortable life is much greater than the probability that her bother or her grandmother ever did.
2030 by Mauro.F.Guillen: 97–100
