How well would the Commercial Economy Function Without the Domestic One?

Question

Every day, millions of working hours are given over to tasks such as childcare, provisioning or sick relatives right the way through to domestic chores such as cooking and cleaning.

Most of these tasks go unpaid, yet, they clearly perform a vital roles.

If those people performing unpaid labor of the types described were to simply stop doing it, how do you think it would affect the commercial economy?

Also do you believe that most unpaid labor of the types described is done by women?

Answer 1

Great question.  In general, many of the caregiver roles (cleaning, childcare, eldercare) are taken on by women.  Sometimes this is due to forced choice (ie "choosing" because the male in the family makes more money or because it is the only affordable option in terms of childcare.)  Other times, it is because our culture still pushes forth assigned gender roles and they become entrenched.

The commercial economy could not function without these unpaid workers of the domestic sphere.  If all unpaid workers were to go on "strike" there would be utter chaos.  

It's horrifying to me that as of the year 2008, everyone just takes these unpaid workers for granted, that the ERA was never passed, and that men still get upset because a wife is using "his" money.  It's also the reason that elderly women end up living in abject poverty... without wages for their unpaid work, they do not pay into their own social security.

Answer 2

I do think most of the unpaid labor you described is done by women.  It is so important to a man's career that in most law firms, and man cannot become a partner until he gets married.  They don't want the man's personal life to interfere with his work, and they want the man to have an unemployed wife who can take care of EVERYTHING in the man's life, besides work and rest.  

In that field it would cost each laborer about 40% of the time that they generally spend at work.

WIthin a month, a general work slow-down would be noticeable, and within 6 months, a great recession would set in.

I HAVE SPOKEN???????

Answer 3

Now we have a crystal-clear reason as to why anti-feminists, traditional men and plain chauvanists are trying to put women back into their place-chained to the kitchen sink.

If women didn't do all this unpaid labour, then men would have to do it themselves or pay for it, taking away their hard-earned dollars.  Men would be up the creek without a paddle.

I work, cook, clean and look after the kids.  Heaven help if I were to put a price on that.

Answer 4

What I'd love to see is a month in which working women, upon receiving the phone call that little Billy has a sniffly nose at daycare and needs to be picked up, say to their male partners: "Sorry. You'll have to do it."

I find it ironic when male employers complain about women taking time off for children when they have children themselves. I want to say, "Dude...you are just one phone call and one over-worked wife away from being that person yourself."

Answer 5

There's a lot of disparity in the West vis a vis "under-paid" labour, and it's not relegated to either gender.  Without such critical jobs being performed by people whom aren't receiving adequate compensation, society would fall asunder.