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Patriarchy, Power, and Pay: The Transformation of American Families, 1800–2015

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  • Steven Ruggles

Abstract

This article proposes explanations for the transformation of American families over the past two centuries. I describe the impact on families of the rise of male wage labor beginning in the nineteenth century and the rise of female wage labor in the twentieth century. I then examine the effects of decline in wage labor opportunities for young men and women during the past four decades. I present new estimates of a precipitous decline in the relative income of young men and assess its implications for the decline for marriage. Finally, I discuss explanations for the deterioration of economic opportunity and speculate on the impact of technological change on the future of work and families. Copyright Population Association of America 2015

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  • Steven Ruggles, 2015. "Patriarchy, Power, and Pay: The Transformation of American Families, 1800–2015," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 52(6), pages 1797-1823, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:demogr:v:52:y:2015:i:6:p:1797-1823
    DOI: 10.1007/s13524-015-0440-z
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    18. Thomas Anderson & Hans-Peter Kohler, 2015. "Low Fertility, Socioeconomic Development, and Gender Equity," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 41(3), pages 381-407, September.
    19. Aldrich, Howard E. & Brumana, Mara & Campopiano, Giovanna & Minola, Tommaso, 2021. "Embedded but not asleep: Entrepreneurship and family business research in the 21st century," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 12(1).
    20. André Grow & Jan Van Bavel, 2020. "The Gender Cliff in the Relative Contribution to the Household Income: Insights from Modelling Marriage Markets in 27 European Countries," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 36(4), pages 711-733, September.
    21. Trude Lappegård & Frances Goldscheider & Eva Bernhardt, 2017. "Introduction to the Special Collection on Finding Work-Life Balance: History, Determinants, and Consequences of New Bread-Winning Models in the Industrialized World," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 37(26), pages 853-866.
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    23. Steven Ruggles, 2022. "Race, class, and marriage: Components of race differences in men’s first marriage rates, United States, 1960–2019," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 46(39), pages 1163-1186.

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