I come from one of the most patriarchal states in India, and growing up, I constantly wondered why women did almost all the work, inside the house, in the fields, and even in small family businesses, while men controlled the money and received recognition for it. Women’s labour is treated as a “duty” rather than as productive work, even though households and local economies often survive because of their efforts.
Women sow crops, care for livestock, produce goods at home, manage domestic labour, and sustain entire families, yet the income generated from this work is usually controlled by men. Men often take these products to the market, sell them, and retain ownership over the earnings, while women remain financially dependent despite being central to production itself.
This is a form of patriarchal rent extraction, as you mentioned here. It functions as a deeply normalised structure of exploitation, one so embedded in everyday life that it often goes unnoticed. This is a modern form of slavery, without anyone knowing it. Those who benefit from it will never accept it, and those who suffer from it will never realise it.
I had put together notes for an article on different types of extractive economic behaviors (rent seeking, gatekeeping, looting, etc.), and now I'm thinking I need to go back and take this into consideration.
I assume I won't find much economic research on this since most of it comes from North America or Western Europe where this behavior is not as extensive (or acknowledged?)
In some communities, the women are semi slaves. Alongside average fertility of 6-8, the men study Torah, while the women are moms, earners, and doing everything in the house...
All of these all depend on men to work and also some how ignore the benefits women get in patriarchal society. There's no reality in which men would not be more powerful than women (feminists do not know why that is). The only way you can get men onboard is to guilt trip them into it, without any power of your own to enforce it which is why it won't work. We all do not like violence but it has always shaped our society and experience so if you're unwilling to get your hands dirty nothing would be clean
I come from one of the most patriarchal states in India, and growing up, I constantly wondered why women did almost all the work, inside the house, in the fields, and even in small family businesses, while men controlled the money and received recognition for it. Women’s labour is treated as a “duty” rather than as productive work, even though households and local economies often survive because of their efforts.
Women sow crops, care for livestock, produce goods at home, manage domestic labour, and sustain entire families, yet the income generated from this work is usually controlled by men. Men often take these products to the market, sell them, and retain ownership over the earnings, while women remain financially dependent despite being central to production itself.
This is a form of patriarchal rent extraction, as you mentioned here. It functions as a deeply normalised structure of exploitation, one so embedded in everyday life that it often goes unnoticed. This is a modern form of slavery, without anyone knowing it. Those who benefit from it will never accept it, and those who suffer from it will never realise it.
I had put together notes for an article on different types of extractive economic behaviors (rent seeking, gatekeeping, looting, etc.), and now I'm thinking I need to go back and take this into consideration.
I assume I won't find much economic research on this since most of it comes from North America or Western Europe where this behavior is not as extensive (or acknowledged?)
Very insightful
Thank you.
Exclusionary rents are also challenged by the need for innovation to stay competitive. I don't know if you've read this analysis of how women's role in the Chinese defense tech industry has allowed it to outpace the US? https://www.notyourtypicalfinancebro.com/p/china-girl-a-three-part-series-on
Have you studied Jewish Haredim (ultra orthodox)?
In some communities, the women are semi slaves. Alongside average fertility of 6-8, the men study Torah, while the women are moms, earners, and doing everything in the house...
This was such an important read - particularly the component about the Indian American diaspora. Thank you for this.
All of these all depend on men to work and also some how ignore the benefits women get in patriarchal society. There's no reality in which men would not be more powerful than women (feminists do not know why that is). The only way you can get men onboard is to guilt trip them into it, without any power of your own to enforce it which is why it won't work. We all do not like violence but it has always shaped our society and experience so if you're unwilling to get your hands dirty nothing would be clean