Wives’ and Husbands’ Labour Market Participation and Household Resource Distribution in the Context of Middle-class Male Unemployment

Abstract

Social theorists have conceptualised the labour market as though it was primarily shaped by men. Whilst women have been included within stratification theory it still remains the case, according to traditional theorists, that they ‘remain peripheral to the class system’ (Giddens, 1973, p. 288). The majority of research on family, employment and unemployment reflects this position and assumes women to be dependent upon their husbands’ labour market position.