GENDER DISPARITIES IN ATTITUDES ABOUT FREE TRADE AND GLOBALIZATION
In the last decades, globalization has provided an increasing participation of the Brazilian market in the world economy, presenting itself as an important supplier of inputs, besides attracting foreign investments and welcoming large corporations in the country. Generally speaking, this economic movement has brought mostly benefits to Brazil, but also a concern with the threats that may present themselves to the local economy, such as economic stability, the quality of the products and services offered, the supply of jobs, environmental impacts, competition, among other factors. Thus, public opinion on trade liberalization is far from unanimous and consensual, since it involves different interests of workers, consumers, businessmen, and state agents.
Due to the increasing relevance of women's role in the economy and their significant insertion in the labor market, it becomes crucial to analyze attitudes toward globalization and free trade from a gender perspective. Thus, the objective of this study is to analyze the differences in opinion between Brazilian men and women regarding economic openness and globalization. Using previous studies and recent opinion polls, we seek to understand the reasons why women are less likely to support free trade between nations and more resistant to economic globalization.
To achieve this goal, we analyzed the studies of the project BRAZIL, THE AMERICAS AND THE WORLD, organized by CEBRAP, from surveys collected in 2010, 2014, 2018, with 2000, 1881, and 1849 respondents respectively. Initially, the data was analyzed in its entirety for a set of selected questions. Then, by means of multiple linear regressions, the variables, income, education, age, and gender, were analyzed to identify their specific influence on support for trade openness and globalization.