7.11 The 20th Century Housewife and Beyond

Industrialization had already transformed the housewife's life, and it was not about to stop. Gas, electricity, running water, cars, ready-made clothes revolutionized everything all over again in the 20th century. And yet the hours women spent on household tasks did not budge for most of the century for a variety of reasons. I also touch on what it meant to be a housewife in communist countries like East Germany, Hungary, and China. But basically, no matter where you were, running a household boiled down to a whole lot of work. See the website (herhalfhistory.com) for a transcript, sources, and pictures. Visit the website (herhalfofhistory.com) for sources, transcripts, and pictures. Support the show on my Patreon page for bonus episodes, polls, and a general feeling of self-satisfaction. Join Into History for a community of ad-free history podcasts plus bonus content. Follow me on Twitter as @her_half. Or on Facebook or Instagram as Her Half of History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices