Anna Nibley and Dr. LaMond Tullis, Political Science
Introduction:
The problem of development and economic disparity does not reside solely in Lesser-developed Countries (LDCs). Micro-credit is at work in forty-three countries, including the United States (New York Times 1997, 8). In the United States, a majority of the country’s poor reside in slums and low-income housing projects. Most of these people do not own the land on which they reside or the apartment or house in which they live and many are dependent on welfare. Because of these factors, many poor people cannot receive loans from traditional lending institutions. Recently, however, organizations like Accion International, a micro lending institution, has implemented in the United States the same methodology pioneered in Bangladesh and other LDCs (Pham 1996, DI).
In this paper I focused on three questions: what is the impact of micro enterprise on development and family structure among participants in lesser-developed countries and selected areas of the United States, focusing in particular on the role of women on this impact; among participants, what is likely in store for the future regarding family structure and development; and how does micro enterprise work in a liberal democracy, the United States in this case, compared to LDCs?
Hypothesis/Thesis:
Micro- enterprise at a grassroots level invites the rural-landless, and urban poor (both men and women) to help themselves by organizing family and community schools, small businesses, and other groups that aid in development. Women’s involvement in such organizations promotes participation at a grassroots level because in many of these areas women are decision-makers outside the home for the first time. The combination of micro enterprise and women is hastening development among rural-landless and urban poor in LDCs and the United States by implementing fresh and effective ideas for development. The effect of development and democracy in these areas will likely be a change in the nature of family structure. Women’s involvement now is changing the way young women view the future. In the future all women, not just poor women, likely will have more of a voice within the family unit and the community as their role in society expands to include leadership positions in politics and business in LDCs and in the United States
Research Methods:
My field research was conducted in San Antonio, Texas. I interviewed three single women and one married couple. Each subject used micro-loans to start and maintain a small business. All of the subjects are women. Each of the women I interviewed comes from a different family background. Two women are divorced, one never married, and one is married. Education levels range from a high school diploma to a Master’s degree. Each of these women represents a segment of the population as a whole. Though not every segment of the population is represented by these women, their diversity is such that generally informed judgments can be made from these cases. I use the case studies to explain the current situation of women in the United States and compare the plight of U.S. women to the plight of women in LDCS, and to predict changes that will occur as a result of micro enterprise.
Summary and Conclusion:
I found that micro-enterprise is a tool to empower women, and consequently allow women to benefit society as a whole. As seen through four U.S. case studies and examples from LDCs, when women are allowed to participate in development, communities, families, and individuals fare better economically and socially. And vice versa, when women are allowed to take advantage of micro-enterprise, development is furthered.
Although some critics of micro-enterprise believe that it is the “back door” for women into development, the fact remains that micro-enterprise gets women involved in development. These critics argue that by appeasing women with small opportunities, women will cease striving for full equality. They argue that women should not have to go through the “back door” to achieve equality in state and community affairs. However, these case studies show that women can and do make a lot out of a little bit. The women I interviewed did not stop at their first loan. When they made more money, they put the money back into their companies and their companies grew. All four women plan on continuing to expand their companies, and one of them aspired to public office.
Micro-enterprise is a fairly new tool of empowerment. This tool is the catalyst for change in family structure and development. As more and more women take advantage of micro-enterprise, more and more families will become restructured as men and women’s roles shift to allow their ambitions outside the home to be achieved and their potential to benefit society as a whole increase. Although there will never be one definition of family structure, the most common family structure found today will certainly become less common as families accommodate women’s aspirations. As roles within the family shift and allow women to become a greater part of the community, development will be furthered. As daughters see mothers and sisters enter society through business and leadership opportunities, they will be more likely to aspire to such occupations. These aspirations will be within the reach of the younger generation as the older generation paves the way.
My case studies show that women’s options in the workforce are expanding. Although women do not hold a large percentage of government and business leadership positions, they aspire to such positions now more than ever and will eventually fill many of these positions. My research leads to the conclusion that if women are to fill government and business leadership positions, a shift in spousal relations must occur. Many women do not enter the public sphere because they do not believe the benefits of the “shift” outweigh the costs.
Women in LDCs and the United States face different every day problems. However, women all over the world, the United States included, are under-represented in government and in the business world. Micro-enterprise is a tool that is empowering women in lesser-developed countries and in the United States. As micro-enterprise helps women to enter public life, their voices make a difference that can be felt not only by the individual women but by their families, neighborhoods, and communities at large. Women can and are making a difference in the world but there are many hindrances to their progress. Micro-enterprise is not the cure-all for the problems women face; however, micro-enterprise opens the door to opportunities that allow women to solve their own problems.