While much of the discussion on the Great Depression focuses on a macro-level, often situated on the GDP of the United States and other countries, or the plight of the stock market and the banks that went down with it, any economic recession, especially the Great Depression also had a devastating effect on the individual level, namely families.
In 1933, the average family income had dropped 40% from 1929 levels. On the individual level, this drastically affected the dynamics of a family and their standard of living. In many households people, children specifically, suffered from malnutrition and inadequate clothing.
On a social level, the Great Depression had a profound effect of deconstructing the idea that the male patriarchal figure of the family was supposed to be the breadwinner and the primary provider of income. Because of the Great Depression and the utter lack of employment and income, this ideal familial vision was simply impossible. Increasingly, women, married women even, started to take jobs, mostly in the service or light manufacturing sectors. Labor unions even began to enlist working women in their activities, creating a more family-centered union culture.
Ultimately, the Great Depression, while definitely causing massive economic damage both on the macro and the micro level, also had a profound effect on the social dynamics of the family, acting as a small stepping stone for the inclusion of women in the workforce and in unions.
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I love that you decided to look at an aspect of the Great Depression that is less commonly discussed, family life. You mentioned that as the stock market crashed and the economic recession set in, this meant less income for any given household. This meant that women were now entering the work force. I think it's so interesting that such a devastated time in history, somewhat introduced women into the work place therefore taking a step toward equality.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your investigation of family life in the great depression. I wonder if the the difference between men's and women's average wages got smaller during the depression, since as you said, women were increasingly seen as equals in terms of income and sustenance of the household. It would also be interesting to see the education enrollment of children at this time, as there would be a bigger incentive to have children provide income, but laws restricting child labor were passed during this time period.
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