The “social eligibility pool” stands as one of the most
common, and most powerful, explanations for women's
underrepresentation in elective office. By this view, women are
underrepresented in elite politics because sex discrimination and
socialization have produced a gender imbalance in the occupations that
typically precede a political career (Darcy, Welch, and Clark 1994). The scarcity of women in law and business has
implications for politics: “The absence of women from these
stepping-stones to political office does explain a good portion of
women's under-representation in public office. A decrease in this
under-representation helps explain gains in women holding office”
(1994, 179).
