Financial Independence and Women’s Decision-Making Power: A Cross-Cultural Sociological Analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53555/qf4az436Keywords:
Women’s Empowerment, Financial Autonomy, Decision-Making Power, Cultural Norms, AshiyanaAbstract
Financial independence is widely regarded as a crucial component of women’s empowerment; however, its influence on decision-making power is significantly shaped by socio-cultural contexts. This study examines the relationship between financial independence and women’s decision-making power from a sociological perspective, with special reference to Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Using a case study approach, the research adopts a mixed-method design that combines primary data collected through structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with secondary data from governmental and academic sources.
The findings reveal that financially independent women demonstrate increased participation in routine household decisions such as daily expenditure, healthcare, and children’s education. Nonetheless, employment alone does not ensure autonomy. Control over income, marital status, family structure, and prevailing patriarchal norms strongly mediate women’s authority in major financial and life decisions. A cross-cultural comparison indicates that women in Lucknow experience conditional empowerment when compared with women in more gender-egalitarian cultural settings.
The study concludes that financial independence, though necessary, is insufficient to ensure full decision-making power without supportive cultural and institutional transformations. By grounding sociological theory in local empirical realities, this research contributes original insights to the discourse on gender, power, and development.
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