The Male-Breadwinner Model in Welfare Regimes
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What is a characteristic of the male-breadwinner model in welfare regimes?

  • It encourages women to leave the domestic sphere for paid labor.
  • It promotes universal welfare accessibility regardless of gender.
  • It supports equal insurance benefits for men and women.
  • Welfare entitlements are typically gained through dependent status. (correct)

    • How did the phrase 'working mother' influence the perception of women's labor during and after World War II?

  • It eliminated the male-breadwinner model altogether.
  • It reinforced the idea of wage earning as secondary for women. (correct)
  • It elevated women's work status to equal that of men.
  • It led to the expectation that all mothers would work.

    • In what way does the dual breadwinner model differ from the male-breadwinner model?

  • It eliminates the need for childcare services.
  • It recognizes both partners in a family as wage earners. (correct)
  • It relies on a single male income for family stability.
  • It suggests that all women can attain individual independence.

    • Which of the following statements about public and private spheres in relation to women's labor is true?

    <p>Women's contributions are historically undervalued in the private sphere.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What transition is suggested regarding the male-breadwinner model in modern societies like Sweden?

    <p>A movement towards a model where both partners are breadwinners.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the expected role of married women in a strong male-breadwinner state?

    <p>To primarily focus on caring for children and dependents at home.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which country is noted for its strong male-breadwinner model well into the late twentieth century?

    <p>Ireland</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What impact did incoming electronics firms have on women's labor market participation in Ireland?

    <p>Maintained low participation rates despite employment offers.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the context of welfare states, what does a strong male-breadwinner model emphasize?

    <p>Economic responsibilities primarily falling on men.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How did the labor market participation of women in Britain compare to that in Ireland during the late twentieth century?

    <p>Participation rates were almost identical in both countries.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the focus of social policies in the male-breadwinner model?

    <p>Supporting children's needs over women's labor rights.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which welfare state is seen as contrasting the strong male-breadwinner model mentioned in the content?

    <p>France</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What percentage of the labor force in Ireland was female during the discussed period?

    <p>30 percent</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the presence of the male-breadwinner model imply for public support of domestic work?

    <p>Limited public support for domestic caregiving work.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What characterizes the welfare states regarding social security entitlements for women?

    <p>Married women are often excluded from social security.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why is the male-breadwinner model challenging for women's labor participation?

    <p>It often discourages women from seeking employment.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What notable characteristic of the French welfare model differentiates it from the traditional male-breadwinner model?

    <p>It focuses on the interaction between state policies and women's participation in the labor market.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the context of welfare regimes, what does the term 'decommodification of labor' primarily refer to?

    <p>Policies that allow individuals to maintain well-being without reliance on market earnings.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a critical issue in the structuring of modern welfare regimes as highlighted in recent analyses?

    <p>The lack of recognition of unpaid work primarily done by women.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role does the public-private divide play in welfare regimes concerning women's labor?

    <p>It often reinforces the idea that women's primary responsibility is within the home.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How has the male-breadwinner model affected women's access to welfare benefits?

    <p>It has historically limited women's access to benefits tied to male employment.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What change in women's labor participation is suggested by the recent country-specific examples in welfare regimes?

    <p>There is an increasing recognition of the need for maternity rights and childcare support.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which factor has influenced the restructuring of welfare states regarding women's employment in France?

    <p>The integration of gender considerations into labor policies.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a consequence of the patriarchal control being localized within the family in welfare regimes?

    <p>It results in undervaluing women's unpaid contributions to family welfare.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What implication does the male-breadwinner model have for unpaid female labor in society?

    <p>It suggests that unpaid labor is viewed as a natural extension of women's roles.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How did the development of welfare states affect the public and private spheres in relation to women's labor?

    <p>It established clear divisions that restricted women's participation in the workforce.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes the impact of informal care on the welfare state model?

    <p>It complicates the understanding of welfare provision and dependency.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a significant critique of the male-breadwinner model in the context of modern labor markets?

    <p>It fails to account for women's dual roles in both the family and workforce.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In what way does the interface between the state and informal caretaking challenge traditional welfare state models?

    <p>It highlights the limitations of formal welfare in addressing care needs.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role did Herbert Spencer attribute to women in the context of welfare and societal evolution?

    <p>He argued they needed to remain within their 'natural' sphere of homemaking.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best articulates the perceived societal progression regarding women and labor as discussed in feminist critiques?

    <p>Women have progressively moved into the public domain for paid labor.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the term 'welfare dependency' imply in the context of women's roles within the welfare state?

    <p>Women’s unpaid caring roles contribute to the independence of family members.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does the introduction of family allowances relate to the male-breadwinner model?

    <p>It challenges the male-breadwinner model by recognizing the role of mothers in the household.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In discussions of welfare states, what is a significant critique regarding child care services?

    <p>They tend to prioritize private responsibility over public support.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What aspect of public and private spheres in relation to women's labor does the feminist movement notably critique?

    <p>The assumption that women are primarily responsible for unpaid household labor.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How have feminist critiques influenced perceptions of maternity rights in welfare policies?

    <p>They demand equal treatment in both maternity and paternity benefits.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes the impact of the welfare state on women’s labor market participation?

    <p>Welfare policies often unintentionally encourage women to remain in traditional roles.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a common misconception about the patriarchal welfare state as discussed in feminist critiques?

    <p>It assumes women's primary role is as caregivers, limiting their economic contributions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role do child care services play in reinforcing or challenging the male-breadwinner model?

    <p>They can challenge the model by enabling mothers to participate in the labor force.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do changing social policies reflect shifts in the feminist movement's influence?

    <p>There's a growing emphasis on work-life balance and shared parenting responsibilities.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Male-Breadwinner Model

    • The male-breadwinner model has historically been used to understand women's position in society
    • This model assumes the husband is the sole breadwinner and the wife is responsible for domestic work
    • The male-breadwinner model influenced welfare systems, providing benefits to men and women based on their roles in the family
    • The dual insurance/assistance model reinforced this gender divide, with men receiving "first-class" benefits while women were tied to their husband's status

    The Male-Breadwinner Model in Welfare Regimes

    • Ireland has historically been a strong male-breadwinner state, with low female labor participation until the late 20th century
    • Britain is another example of a strong male-breadwinner state, though the "working mother" concept emerged during World War II, women's work was still seen as secondary
    • France is seen as a country where the male-breadwinner model was implicit due to a focus on children rather than women's needs
    • Sweden is considered a "weak" male-breadwinner country, shifting towards a dual-breadwinner model through policy changes like parental leave and childcare provision

    The Limits of the Male-Breadwinner Model

    • In reality, the private and public spheres are interconnected, and women have always participated in paid labor, often to some degree
    • The family, including the role of women, has been essential for social welfare, undermining the notion of a clear separation between the private and public
    • While policies in France and Sweden may offer more opportunities for women, they do not necessarily reflect women's demands
    • Despite its strong feminist movement, Britain has had a strong male-breadwinner model, highlighting the potential fragility of gains and the need for ongoing advocacy.

    Gender and Welfare

    • The development of modern welfare states in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries coincided with the period when the boundary between the public world of paid work and the private domain of the family was strongest.
    • The male-breadwinner model prescribed breadwinning for men and homemaking for women.
    • The male-breadwinner model was part of a larger gendered division between public and private that informed the work of political philosophers after Locke.
    • Herbert Spencer argued that society was 'progressing' towards a position whereby all women would be able to stay home in their 'natural' sphere.
    • Informal care was absent from Titmuss's (1963) classic threefold division of welfare into state, fiscal and occupational provision.

    Valuing Unpaid Work

    • Recent comparative work on modern welfare states has emphasized the importance of the relationship between state and economy, and in particular between work and welfare.
    • Work is defined as paid work and welfare as policies that permit, encourage or discourage the decommodification of labour.
    • The problem of valuing the unpaid work done primarily by women in providing care is one of the central issues in the structuring of welfare regimes.
    • The unequal division of unpaid work blurs the dichotomous divisions between dependent and independent, commodified and decommodified.

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    Description

    Explore the historical context of the male-breadwinner model and its impact on women's societal roles. This quiz delves into how different countries like Ireland, Britain, and France have institutionalized these gender roles in their welfare systems. Test your knowledge on the evolution of family roles and welfare policies.

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