I think if I’m not mistaken, at some point or another in at least some Western marriages even before the working mum thing there were already wives making a living from doing household chores (and gardening, which I think’s still done elsewhere to a degree) and husbands also participating in household chores. That’s a point made by Stephanie Koontz. It probably wasn’t any better before.
But I think she did identify a shift occurring eventually in the 18th century where it’s now expected women do the housework but also become unpaid. No wonder why the need for career mothers is inevitable. Not to mention that there’ll always be people and especially women who’d be willing to work and find something better, more practical to do.
This is already returning to some extent, not just with career women but also bloggers being paid.
fynm 