Notes on Chapter 18: Women's Role During Emergencies in the 1930s and 1940s
Chapter 18: Emergencies: The 1930s and 1940s
Eleanor Roosevelt and Women's History
Eleanor Roosevelt rose to national prominence during a time of significant national crises: the Great Depression and World War II.
These crises reshaped women's roles in society at home, in the workforce, and in public life.
Impact of the Great Depression
Women were advised to stay at home during the Great Depression, leaving jobs for men, who were seen as the primary breadwinners.
Despite this pressure, women's labor force participation rose slowly.
Many married women entered the workforce out of necessity.
The composition of the female labor force shifted after the Depression; new entrants typically engaged in traditional women's fields rather than heavy industry.
World War II and Women's Workforce Participation
Contrast to the Depression; women were urged to take paid jobs to fill the void left by men who joined the military.
Women's workforce participation increased significantly (from under 25% in 1940 to 35% by 1944).
Many women took on roles in defense industries, which were more demanding and required skills previously not associated with women’s work.
The government introduced policies to encourage women's employment but also sought to limit their post-war employment opportunities.
Traditional Gender Roles Reaffirmed
Both the Great Depression and WWII reinforced the cultural belief that a woman’s place was primarily in the home, subordinated to male authority.
A strong domestic ideology emerged post-war, portraying women as homemakers even as they contributed economically.
Feminist Movement Decline
Feminism declined during these decades, with many women's organizations losing influence as focus shifted to economic recovery and stability instead of gender equality.
New Deal policies initially presented opportunities for women's activism but soon caused a retreat in feminist goals.
Depression Families and Traditional Roles
The Great Depression disrupted family lives, creating an environment of fear and uncertainty.
Women who did work were expected to maintain their traditional roles within the household, thus increasing the significance of women as homemakers.
Psychology of scarcity drove women to take on multiple roles, balancing both home-making and wage-earning to survive.
Changing Dynamics in Work
By the 1940s, women were entering both paid and domestic work environments, adapting to new roles while still facing societal gender biases.
Public opinion often opposed married women working, seeing them as a threat to family finances.
Post-War Attitudes
After the war, the public sentiment shifted back towards emphasizing women's roles as mothers and homemakers.
Media campaigns reinforced the ideal of domesticity, suggesting that women's wartime employment was merely a temporary emergency.
Rising post-war unemployment put married women back under pressure to leave the workforce for traditional roles.
Historical Impact
The 1930s and 1940s set the stage for future changes in women’s roles but also marked a retreat from the early feminist aspirations of the 1920s.
Feminism struggled during this period as many older capable leaders had either retired or been absorbed into governmental roles without advocating for women's equality.
Conclusion
The era concluded with a mixed legacy regarding women's roles, demonstrating that labor participation did not equate to societal acceptance of broader feminist objectives.
As women began re-entering the labor force after the war, many faced new challenges and resistance against their participation despite the gains made during wartime employment.