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The Invisible Heart: Economics and Family Values
A brilliant approach to the economics of caregiving and feminized work, from the MacArthur Award–winning economist
“Important and illuminating . . . an outstandingly provocative book about the economics of care and reciprocity.” —Emma Rothschild, The New York Times Book Review
Lost in perpetually controversial conversations about “family values” is an examination of the economic forces that are exploding family life and limiting the caregiving that families can provide. As leading feminist economist Nancy Folbre notes, every society must confront the problem of balancing self-interested pursuits with care for others—including children, the elderly, and the infirm. Historically, most societies enjoyed an increased supply of care by maintaining strict limits on women’s freedom. But as these limits have happily and inevitably given way, there are many consequences for those who still need care. Using the image of “the invisible heart” to evoke the forces of compassion that must temper the forces of self-interest, Folbre argues in her classic book that if we don’t establish a new set of rules defining our mutual responsibilities for caregiving, the penalties suffered by the needy—our very families—will increase. Intensified economic competition may drive altruism and families out of business. The COVID-19 pandemic, too, has torn apart the tenuous, fragile web that makes care work possible in our society. Nancy Folbre writes in a lively, personal style and develops a distinctive approach to the economics of care. Unlike others who praise family values, Folbre acknowledges the complicated relationship between women and altruism. The Invisible Heart offers powerful feminist approaches to such policy issues as welfare reform, school finance, and progressive taxation, and it confronts the challenges of globalization, outlining strategies for developing an economic system that rewards both individual achievement and care for others.
“Important and illuminating . . . an outstandingly provocative book about the economics of care and reciprocity.” —Emma Rothschild, The New York Times Book Review
Lost in perpetually controversial conversations about “family values” is an examination of the economic forces that are exploding family life and limiting the caregiving that families can provide. As leading feminist economist Nancy Folbre notes, every society must confront the problem of balancing self-interested pursuits with care for others—including children, the elderly, and the infirm. Historically, most societies enjoyed an increased supply of care by maintaining strict limits on women’s freedom. But as these limits have happily and inevitably given way, there are many consequences for those who still need care. Using the image of “the invisible heart” to evoke the forces of compassion that must temper the forces of self-interest, Folbre argues in her classic book that if we don’t establish a new set of rules defining our mutual responsibilities for caregiving, the penalties suffered by the needy—our very families—will increase. Intensified economic competition may drive altruism and families out of business. The COVID-19 pandemic, too, has torn apart the tenuous, fragile web that makes care work possible in our society. Nancy Folbre writes in a lively, personal style and develops a distinctive approach to the economics of care. Unlike others who praise family values, Folbre acknowledges the complicated relationship between women and altruism. The Invisible Heart offers powerful feminist approaches to such policy issues as welfare reform, school finance, and progressive taxation, and it confronts the challenges of globalization, outlining strategies for developing an economic system that rewards both individual achievement and care for others.
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
About the author
Nancy Folbre
29 books25 followersNancy Folbre is an American feminist economist who focuses on economics and the family, non-market work and the economics of care. She is Professor of economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 29, 2020
استدلال محوری کتاب این است که اقتصاد بازار نمیتواند به همه سود برساند، خصوصا به زنان، کودکان. فولبر نشان میدهد که چطور دست نامرئی آدام اسمیت ارزشهای غیر ملموس / قابل اندازه‌گیری، همچون مراقبت و نگرانی‌های اجتماعی را بی ارزش میکند
کتاب به سه بخش تقسیم میشود: تئوری، خط‌مشی و استراتژی‌هایی برای آینده.
فصول نظری به تضعیف پایه‌های این فرضیه اقتصادی متعارف می‌پردازد که اگر همه ما نفع شخصی‌مان را دنبال کنیم، خودبه‌خود وضع همگان بهتر میشود.
بخش دوم کتاب به بررسی نحوه تکامل روابط میان خانواده و دولت می‌پردازد و تضادها و تفاهمات میان آنها را توضیح میدهد.
بخش پایانی کتاب به آینده نظر دارد و تاثیر فزاینده رقابت بین‌المللی و عواقب آن برای خانواده و دولت را بررسی میکند. و مینویسد ما باید نظارتی مردمی بر فرایند جهانی‌سازی اعمال کنیم.
فولبر کار مراقبت را اینطور تعریف میکند: کار مراقبت از دیگری بر اساس چهره به چهره است در قالب مناسباتی که افراد معمولا با اسم کوچک یکدیگر را صدا می‌زنند و به دلایلی که متضمن محبت و احترام است. بخشی از این کار، لااقل تا حدودی، با پرداخت مستقیم پول یا به صورت بخشی از پول که به دیگری داده شده، جبران میشود. بخشی از این کار هم اصلا با پول جبران نمیشود…. مراقبت از دیگران به خصوص از ان جهت نوع مهمی از کار است که تاثیر مستقیمی بر رفاه عاطفی ما دارد.
دغدغه‌های فولبر در بخشهای زیادی از این کتاب را باید دغدغه‌های اقتصادی فهمید. او حول مفهوم کار مراقبتی حرف میزند که در گذشته بحرانی نبود چرا که زنان را میشد در خانه نگه داشت. اما با زنانه شدن کار بحث بحران و کسری مراقبت هم پیش میاید.
فولبر در این کتاب بطور دقیقی دکترین بازار آزاد مبنی بر اینکه حداکثر کردن نفع شخصی منجر به خیر عمومی میشود را رد میکند و تعصبات جنسیتی این تفکر را برملا میکند. او درباره حوزه‌هایی مثل مراقبت از کودکان و کهنسالان بحث میکند که تعیین کیفیت خدمات دشوار است و واگذاری کار به منطق سود فاجعه درست میکند. او مادران مجرد و فقیری را مثال میزند که اگر بخواهند با چشم برهم‌زدنی و با فرستادن بچه‌ها پیش پدرشان یا پرورشگاه میتوانند وضعیت اقتصادی خود را بهبود دهند اما چنین نمیکنند، یعنی مطابق منطق بازار عمل نمیکنند. در اقتصاد به این کارها میگویند رفتار غیرعقلانی. به عبارت دیگر منطق بازار به مردان برای بی‌اعتنایی به مسئولیت‌های پدرانه‌شان پاداش میدهد و آنها هم کارراهه شغلی خوبی می‌سازند و کسی هم متعجب نمیشود.
او نشان میدهد در این سیستم تامین‌کنندگان مراقبت (که اغلب زنانند) به لحاظ اقتصادی در موقعیت نازلی قرار دارند چرا که اخلاقا و احساسا به کارشان وابسته‌اند. مثلا زنان نمیتوانند برای اینکه شوهرشان مسئولیت‌های نگهداری از بچه را با آنها تقسیم کنند اعتصاب کنند. کارهای مراقبتی مزدی نیز در پایین‌ترین رتبه‌های سلسله‌مراتب اجتماعی کار قرار داره مثلا در ایالات متحده پارکبان‌ها معمولا دریافتی بهتری از کارگران مهدکودک دارند.
قلب نامرئی به تئوری‌ها و تاریخی که حول ارزیابی کار زنان وجود دارد می‌پردازد. تمرکز کتاب بر بی‌عدالتی ذاتی تقسیم کار جنسیتی مردسالارانه است که مسئولیت مراقبت که اغلب زنان میدهند را طبیعی جلوه میدهد در عین حال آن را بی‌ارزش می‌شمارد. در اقتصاد سرمایه‌داری کاری که در بازار قابل معامله نباشد بی ارزش است. در تولید ناخالص داخلی هم حساب نمیشود. (اساسا یک دلیل عمده پرداختن و شاخ و برگ دادن به ایده مادری همینه. یعنی وقتی در اقتصاد کار زنان بی ارزش باشه خب باید یک جوری قانعشون کرد که این همه زحمت و مسئولیت را قبول کنند. چی بهتر از اینکه بگی بهشت زیر پای مادران است)
در اپیزود ۱۳ پادکست هنگامه این کتاب را مرور کرده‌ام
Want to read
July 14, 2007I've seen Nancy speak a number of times and it was mind-blowing, but I've only read a few excerpts of this so far.
May 9, 2019
I’ll never stop recommending “The Invisible Heart”... I recommend it to everyone but especially to all the women in my life! It was healing for me to read because I have been thinking about these ideas for years but didn’t know how to articulate them. This book made me rethink everything I thought I knew about economics and how society treats women’s work and workers.
July 24, 2018
An impassioned case for rethinking economics along humanistic lines that upends a good deal of conventional wisdom, though some of it will be familiar to students of feminism, gender, and work.
January 18, 2016
I read the novel based on the suggestions of my economics TA. I told him that I wanted to be more cultured in the society around us, and was looking for something to do over the mid-semester break.
The book is a bit dry in the sense that it's more of persuasive and opinionated dissertation rather than an actual story with a plot line. I guess I didn't know what to expect, but the author writes with the knowledge and confidence of experience, which is helpful in learning more about society and how it works.
Bottom line: very informative, not the easiest thing to digest, but still very interesting to think about. And applicable in viewing everyday life.
The book is a bit dry in the sense that it's more of persuasive and opinionated dissertation rather than an actual story with a plot line. I guess I didn't know what to expect, but the author writes with the knowledge and confidence of experience, which is helpful in learning more about society and how it works.
Bottom line: very informative, not the easiest thing to digest, but still very interesting to think about. And applicable in viewing everyday life.
March 10, 2016
I read this book for a senior women's studies seminar, it took me forever to finally get the point trying to be made. When I finally understood this book made me love and really become interested in economics.
Want to read
March 1, 2009suggested by Andra
January 2, 2011
A must read.
September 27, 2015
As soon as you progress through the book you understand the content better.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews