In Pursuit of Equity: Women, Men, and the Quest for Economic Citizenship in Twentieth-Century America

Few historians have contributed more to our understanding of the history of women, and women's effect on history, than Alice Kessler-Harris. Author of the classic Out to Work , she is one of the country's leading scholars of gender, the economy, and public policy. In this volume, Kessler-Harris pierces the skin of arguments and legislation to grasp the preconceptions that have shaped the experience of women: a "gendered imagination" that has defined what men and women alike think of as fair and desirable. In this brilliant account that traces social policy from the New Deal to the 1970s, she shows how a deeply embedded set of beliefs has distorted seemingly neutral social legislation to further limit the freedom and equality of women. Government rules generally sought to protect women from exploitation, even from employment itself; but at the same time, they attached the most important benefits to wage work. To be a real citizen, one must earn--and most policymakers (even female ones) assumed from the beginning that women were not, and should not be breadwinners. Kessler-Harris traces the impact of this gender bias in the New Deal programs of Social Security, unemployment insurance, and fair labor standards, in Federal income tax policy, and the new discussion of women's rights that emerged after World War II. "For generations," she writes, "American women lacked not merely the practice, but frequently the idea of individual economic freedom." Only in the 1960s and '70s did old assumptions begin to break down--yet the process is far from complete. Even today, with women closer to full economic citizenship than ever before, Kessler-Harris's insights offer a keen new understanding of the issues that dominate the headlines, from the marriage penalty in the tax code to the glass ceiling in corporate America. In In Pursuit Of Equity, Kessler-harris Pierces The Skin Of Arguments And Legislation To Grasp The Preconceptions That Have Shaped The Experience Of Women: A Gendered Imagination That Has Defined What Men And Women Alike Think Of As Fair And Desirable. In This Brilliant Account That Traces Social Policy From The New Deal To The 1970s, She Shows How A Deeply Embedded Set Of Beliefs Has Distorted Seemingly Neutral Social Legislation To Further Limit The Freedom And Equality Of Women. Government Rules Generally Sought To Protect Women From Exploitation, Even From Employment Itself; But At The Same Time, They Attached The Most Important Benefits To Wage Work. To Be A Real Citizen, One Must Earn - And Most Policymakers (even Female Ones) Assumed From The Beginning That Women Were Not, And Should Not Be, Breadwinners. Kessler-harris Traces The Impact Of This Gender Bias In The New Deal Programs Of Social Security, Unemployment Insurance, And Fair Labor Standards, In Federal Income Tax Policy, And The New Discussion Of Women's Rights That Emerged After World War Ii. For Generations, She Writes, American Women Lacked Not Merely The Practice, But Frequently The Idea Of Individual Economic Freedom. Only In The 1960s And '70s Did Old Assumptions Begin To Break Down - Yet The Process Is Far From Complete. Even Today, With Women Closer To Full Economic Citizenship Than Ever Before, Kessler-harris's Insights Offer A Keen New Understanding Of The Issues That Dominate The Headlines, From The Marriage Penalty In The Tax Code To The Glass Ceiling In Corporate America.--jacket. The Responsibilities Of Life -- The Mere Fact Of Sex -- A Practical Independence -- A Man-run Company -- Marriage: A Defining Condition -- Maintaining Self-respect -- Self-help Is The Best Help -- Have We Lost Courage? -- A Sieve With Holes -- A Foundling Dumped Upon The Doorstep -- Questions Of Equity -- Matters Of Right -- The Hardest Problem Of The Whole Thing -- They Feel That They Have Lost Citizenship -- It Would Be A Great Comfort To Him -- A Principle Of Law But Not Of Justice -- Apportioning The Income Tax -- More Than Money Is Involved -- To Confer A Special Benefit On The Marital Relationship -- What Discriminates? -- How're You Going To Feel? -- The President's Commission On The Status Of Women -- Calling Into Question The Entire Doctrine Of Sex -- Equal Pay For Equal Work -- What's Fair? -- Constructing An Equal Opportunity Framework -- Standing With Lot's Wife -- Divided Women -- At First Glance, The Idea May Seem Silly -- History Is Moving In This Direction. Alice Kessler-harris. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 297-364) And Index. Few historians have contributed more to our understanding of the history of women, and women's effect on history, than Alice Kessler-Harris. Author of the classic Out to Work, she is one of the country's leading scholars of gender, the economy, and public policy.In In Pursuit of Equity, Kessler-Harris pierces the skin of arguments and legislation to grasp the preconceptions that have shaped the experience of women: a "gendered imagination" that has defined what men and women alike think of as fair and desirable. In this brilliant account that traces social policy from the New Deal to the 1970s, she shows how a deeply embedded set of beliefs has distorted seemingly neutral social legislation to further limit the freedom and equality of women. Government rules generally sought to protect women from exploitation, even from employment itself: but at the same time, they attached the most important benefits to wage work. To be a real citizen, one must earn -- and most policymakers (even female ones) assumed from the beginning that women were not, and should not be, breadwinners. Kessler-Harris traces the impact of this gender bias in the New Deal programs of Social Security, unemployment insurance, and fair labor standards, in Federal income tax policy, and the new discussion of women's rights that emerged after World War II. "For generations," she writes. "American women lacked not merely the practice, but frequently the idea of individual economic freedom." Only in the 1960s and '70s did old assumptions begin to break down -- yet the process is far from complete.Even today, with women closer to full economic citizenship than ever before. Kessler-Harris's insights offer a keen new understanding of the issues that dominate the headlines, from the marriage penalty in the tax code to the glass ceiling in corporate America. MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict Contents 8 Acknowledgments 10 Introduction 14 CHAPTER 1 The Responsibilities of Life 30 The Mere Fact of Sex 33 A Practical Independence 45 A Man-Run Company 56 Marriage: A Defining Condition 67 CHAPTER 2 Maintaining Self-Respect 75 Self-Help Is the Best Help 77 Have We Lost Courage? 85 A Sieve with Holes 99 A Foundling Dumped upon the Doorstep 112 CHAPTER 3 Questions of Equity 128 Matters of Right 132 The Hardest Problem of the Whole Thing 141 They Feel That They Have Lost Citizenship 153 It Would Be a Great Comfort to Him 167 CHAPTER 4 A Principle of Law but Not of Justice 181 Apportioning the Income Tax 183 More Than Money Is Involved 189 To Confer a Special Benefit on the Marital Relationship 204 CHAPTER 5 What Discriminates? 214 How're You Going to Feel? 217 The President's Commission on the Status of Women 224 Calling into Question the Entire Doctrine of Sex 237 Equal Pay for Equal Work 245 CHAPTER 6 What's Fair? 250 Constructing an Equal Opportunity Framework 252 Standing with Lot's Wife 257 Divided Women 278 At First Glance, the Idea May Seem Silly 286 History Is Moving in This Direction 291 Epilogue 301 Notes 308 Index 376 A 376 B 376 C 377 D 378 E 378 F 379 G 379 H 380 I 380 J 381 K 381 L 381 M 381 N 382 O 382 P 383 R 383 S 383 T 384 U 384 V 384 W 385 In this volume, Alice Kessler-Harris explores the transformation of some of the United States'most significant social policies. Tracing changing ideals of fairness from the 1920s to the 1970s, she shows how a deeply embedded set of beliefs, or'gendered imagination'shaped seemingly neutral social legislation to limit the freedom and equality of women. Law and custom generally sought to protect women from exploitation, and sometimes from employment itself; but at the same time, they assigned the most important benefits to wage work. Most policy makers (even female ones) assumed from the beginning that women would not be breadwinners. Kessler-Harris shows how ideas about what was fair for men as well as women influenced old age and unemployment insurance, fair labor standards, Federal income tax policy, and the new discussion of women's rights that emerged after World War II. Only in the 1960s and 1970s did the gendered imagination begin to alter--yet the process is far from complete. Robert F. Wagner, distinguished senior senator from New York, chair of a duly constituted subcommittee of the Committee on Banking and Currency, and political midwife to much of the labor legislation of the Roosevelt years, opened the hearings on the Full Employment Act of 1945 with an appropriately inspiring statement. A vehicle sticker book featuring tractors. Produced in a sturdy format, it has been designed to improve hand-to-eye co-ordination and first word and picture recognition. Young readers are invited to match the stickers with their outlines. There are eight leaves of stickers.