two facts* to consider
Working class women always worked (taking in washing, factory work etc). It was a relatively short lived phenomenon of women not working, confined to the middle classes. As the middle classes grew so did the number of women staying at home working. Women at home had a hell of a lot more work to do then they would have now eg collecting firewood to for the copper to do the clothes, making soap, making and mending clothes, keeping the fire going to heat the home and cook food, stringing beans, looking etc etc

The other thing to consider is the standard of housing in the old days compared to now. In the 70s (and earlier) a new home typically did not include things like light fixtures, carpeting, landscaping etc, and was rather smaller (even though families were larger). Aspiration demands bigger and better things.

The way I see it, it is the middle class values of aspiration and keeping-up-with-the-jonesesness which is the real cause of /ALL/ our problems.

*may not be facts, too lazy to check at the moment.
( Sextant goes to him is emotionally erect, on this day, Fri 1 Jan 2010, 12:14, Reply)