working life of women seventeenth century - School of Economics ...

CONCLUSION CONCLUSION 297in women's economic position was effected in theindustrial world. The thre developments whichwere most instrumental to this end being:-(a) the substitution of an individual for a familywage, enabling men to organise themselves in thecompetition which ruled the labour market, withoutsharing with the women of their families all thebenefits derived through their combination.(b) the withdrawal of wage-earners from home-lifeto work upon the premises of the masters, whichprevented the employment of the wage-earner'swife in her husband's occupation.(c) the rapid increase of wealth, which permittedthe women of the upper classes to withdraw from allconnection with business.Once the strong hand of necessity is relaxed therehas been a marked tendency in English life for the withdrawalof married women from all productive activity,and their consequent devotion to the cultivation of idlegraces ; the parasitic life of its women has been in factone of the chief characteristics of the parvenu class.The limitations which surrounded the lives of thewomen belonging to this class are most vividly describedin Pepys' Journal, where they form a curiouscontrast to the vigour and independence of the womenwho were actively engaged in industry.The wholeDiary should be read to gain a complete idea of therelations of married life under these new circumstances,but a few extracts will illustrate the poverty of Mrs.Pepys' interests and her abject dependence on herhusband. Most curious of all is Pepys' naive admissionthat he was trying to " make " work for his wife,which furnishes an illustration of the saying " comingevents cast their shadows before them."" Nov. 12, 1662. much talke and differencebetween us about my wife's having a woman, which Iseemed much angry at that she should go so far in itwithout . . . my being consulted. 13th. Ourdiscontent again and sorely angered my wife, whoindeed do live very lonely, but I do perceive that itis want of worke that do make her and all other~eople think of ways of spending their time worse.June 8. 1664. Her spirit is lately come to be otherthan it used to be, and now depends upon her havingAshwell by her, before whom she thinks I shall notsay nor do anything of force to her, which vexes me,and makes me wish that I had better considered all thatI have done concerning my bringing my wife to thiscondition of heat. Aug. 20. I see that she is confirmedin it that all I do is by design, and that my very keepingof the house in dirt, and the doing this and anythingelse in the house, is but to find her employmentto keep her within, and from minding of her pleasure,which though I am sorry to see she minds it, is trueenough in a great degree. Jan. 14. 1667-8. I dofind she do keep very bad remembrance of my formerunkindness to her and do mightily complain of herwant of money and liberty, which will rather hearand bear the complaint of than grant the contrary. . . . . Feb. 18. a ring which I am to give heras a valentine. It will cost me near she costingme but little in comparison with other wives, and Ihave not many occasions to spend money on her.Feb. 23. with this and what she had she reckonsthat she hath above L150 worth of jewels of one kindor another ; and I am glad of it, for it is fit the wretchshould have something to content herself with."While the capitalistic organisation of industryincreased the wealth of the masters, it condemneda large proportion of the craftsmen to remain permanentlyin the position of journeymen or wage-earnerswith the incidental result that women were excludedfrom their ranks in the more highly skilled trades.Under the old system of Family Industry, labour andcapital had been united in one person or family groupof persons, but capitalism brought them into confiict ;