Changing Social Role of the Husband-Father and Emancipating Aspirations of the Wife-Mother

Abstract

The article deals with the new role of the husband-father determined by the altered position of the woman, wife and mother. Industrialization has resulated in the change of the role traditionally played by the woman in both society and family, the main reason being employment which makes women leave home.

Post-war Poland constitutes a singular example of the changing position of women. The employment rate for women is the highest in Europe (46.7), while the married women constitute over 75 per cent of all employed women. As there are not enough institutions of devices that could act as substitutes some household duties traditionally performed by women are taken over by men. Losing their former position of sole bread-winners, they become joint supports of the family. Under the circumstances the pattern of family life changes and relations between the spouses lose their character of subordination and dependence; an egalitarian model of the family emerges. Perforce increasing participation of the husband in the family life and growing possibilities of fulfilling female professional aspirations compensate for the negative aspects of the changed roles of both parties, concerning e.g. bringing up children or satisfying needs of the family.