Economic change converts marriage from servitude into reciprocal free contract
Evidence
The economic evolution of woman’s condition is in the process of upsetting the institution of marriage: it is becoming a union freely entered into by two autonomous individuals; the commitments of the two parties are personal and reciprocal; adultery is a breach of contract for both parties; either of them can obtain a divorce on the same grounds. Woman is no longer limited to the reproductive function: it has lost, in large part, its character of natural servitude and has come to be regarded as a freely assumed responsibility; and it is considered productive work since, in many cases, maternity leave necessitated by pregnancy must be paid to the mother by the state or the employer. — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 1093
Categorization
- DEFINE: Defines what a modern, economically-liberated marriage would look like by contrast to its traditional form.
- XREF: connects to: Greater male wealth produces greater female servitude, while shared poverty equalizes the marriage bond. — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 210; The institutionalization of monogamous bourgeois marriage created the demand for prostitution — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 214; Marriage is structured as an economic exchange where the bride’s body is purchased — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 1110 (+3 more)
Broader Connections
- Patriarchal marriage serves collective interests, not individual love or happiness
#responds-to(0.82) — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 1132 - Conjugal loyalty requires both partners’ concrete economic equality and freedom
#expands(0.80) — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 1324 - Marriage is structured as an economic exchange where the bride’s body is purchased
#qualifies(0.78) — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 1110 - Colonial ‘free labor’ ideology redefined bonded servitude as a voluntary contract.
#expands(0.72) — Junaid Rana, Terrifying Muslims, 473