Diffusion of a social norm: tracing the emergence of the housewife in the Netherlands, 1812-1922

TY - JOUR

T1 - Diffusion of a social norm: tracing the emergence of the housewife in the Netherlands, 1812-1922

AU - van Poppel, F.W.A.

AU - van Dalen, H.P.

AU - Walhout, E.

N1 - Reporting year: 2009

PY - 2009

Y1 - 2009

N2 - The emergence of the housewife in the Netherlands over the period 1812–1922 was strongly influenced by the social norm that women should withdraw from the labour market on the eve of marriage. Adherence to this norm is most clearly reflected in the emergence of the housewife among the lower classes, especially at the close of the nineteenth century among wives of farmers. Women in urban municipalities, however, set the norm far earlier and differences across social classes were significantly greater in towns than in rural areas. Paradoxically, the rise of the housewife did not change work pressures for lower-class women.

AB - The emergence of the housewife in the Netherlands over the period 1812–1922 was strongly influenced by the social norm that women should withdraw from the labour market on the eve of marriage. Adherence to this norm is most clearly reflected in the emergence of the housewife among the lower classes, especially at the close of the nineteenth century among wives of farmers. Women in urban municipalities, however, set the norm far earlier and differences across social classes were significantly greater in towns than in rural areas. Paradoxically, the rise of the housewife did not change work pressures for lower-class women.

U2 - 10.1111/j.1468-0289.2008.00433.x

DO - 10.1111/j.1468-0289.2008.00433.x

M3 - Article

SN - 0013-0117

VL - 62

SP - 99

EP - 127

JO - The Economic history review

JF - The Economic history review

IS - 1

ER -