The rise and decline of the 'male breadwinner family' in Britain

This paper examines changes in the historical 'compact' around the male breadwinner family (MBWF) in Britain. The rise of the MBWF produced a 'compact' covering the sexual division of labour, the economic support of family members, the distribution of time and the regulation of marriage and parenthood. Its decline has been accompanied by an erosion of each dimension of this compact, which has reduced gender inequalities but produced other problems. The author argues that a new compact is required if solutions to these problems are to be combined with an extension of gender equity. Particular attention is paid to the role of shorter working hours as a component of different social arrangements over time.