Breadwinner model
The breadwinner model is a model of familial division of labor, in which the livelihood for a nuclear family is wholly or mainly secured by the employment of a person and in return, the spouse or partner takes over the house and family work. It is also referred to as single-earner model, as Einverdienermodell or in the case of a marriage as Einverdienerehe or breadwinner. Due to the influence of traditional gender roles have generally held men as breadwinners, women falls the role of housewife. House men step up today socially hardly appear.
If the partner is indeed employed, but only marginally employed gainfully employed or to a significantly reduced extent in comparison with the main breadwinner, one speaks of a Zuverdienermodell.
The concept of the breadwinner model was used by Jane Lewis and Ilona Ostner as an element of a characterizing description of constellations of work and family work in the welfare state. According to her distinguishing guarantee a state with " strong male breadwinner model " the social security of women primarily on their working male partner and whether they are few public care facilities available; a state with a " weak breadwinner model ", however, grant women an independent right to social security, mothers would work to a large extent in full-time, and that there is a comprehensive care infrastructure for children and the elderly.
Historically based the male breadwinner model (or breadwinner - housewife model) on a particular gender role understanding that the man responsible for the full-time employment as a breadwinner and the woman fulfills the role of housewife and mother. The male breadwinner model is therefore also called housewife model or before or traditional bourgeois family model. The role of understanding underlying was common in bourgeois Biedermeier culture and the middle classes in the late 19th and early 20th century. This understanding of roles put the 1896 adopted and came into force on January 1, 1900 Civil Code into a set of rules, and the bill was explained as follows: " The main job of the wife refers to the interior of the house and is in the wealthy classes of the population regularly restrict it. " Later, this model was particularly in postwar West Germany as bourgeois nuclear family to the social norm. The standard employment relationship is designed in terms of working hours and earnings that the wages of a person who goes along with public transfers for the children, for the livelihood of a family.
Social Political and legal background
Education system
The breadwinner model and its modification as Zuverdienermodell provide the framework for the particularly in German-speaking common concept of half-day kindergarten and half-day school. The latter is often limited in the Elementary School on three and a half hours of instruction per day. The half-day compulsory education has been introduced in the 19th century in Germany, so that children could help with the housework and field work along with their school, but she remained until well past the middle of the 20th century the rule, although as this need to be still lower played role.
Social, tax and labor law
It is variously found that the male breadwinner model, especially in Germany through the social security system ( with capped by income threshold free family coinsurance and widow's pensions ), tax law (in particular the Ehegattensplitting ) and labor law (the social choice about ) is supported. Thus, for example, the Rostock Center for demographic change ( ZDWA ) find that in Germany " elements such as income splitting, the contributory health and nursing care, the recognition of child-rearing periods for the pension and, at least in West Germany, the low attendance rate for the under-threes, the support role of the mother continued support. " That is the case also for a possible introduction of a salary to education. In the region of low household income of child supplement is negative incentives for the participation of a zuverdienenden spouse.
Critical is noted, an employment of both partners will only be supported and challenged, if not a member of the marriage or need community itself achieved alone sufficient for the upkeep of the family income in the current model of society through the social policy measures, in particular unemployment benefit II. In this context, the subordinated consideration of non - needy unemployed is viewed critically in the switching activity of the employment agency, since it adversely affecting mainly women.
In the case of death of a partner is a surviving person who was not gainfully employed or only to a small extent, dependent on age usually on private financial protection and survivor annuity.
Family Law
The new alimony law in Germany, however, is to promote the post-marital responsibility and is subject to an independent livelihood of both parents: usually need the caring parent after a separation or divorce earlier again be employed than before the reform and has no guarantee for the maintenance of living standards by maintenance. The lawyer and Senator for Justice aD Lore Maria Peschel -Gutzeit said: " lifestyles of women who build on the income and status of the husband, will tend to have no existence. However, probably still needs many amendments and court rulings on care maintenance, until that changes sustained by our own experiences in the social environment or the behavior of the person concerned. Those who want to protect themselves, must more than ever drag marriage contracts into consideration, in which the distribution of roles in the family and the economic responsibility arising therefrom are clearly defined. "
Social Change
The model is changing in those western industrial and service companies, which have so far outweighed the Einverdienermodell, increasingly, to other models.
The reasons are given several influences, such as changing role conceptions, or the fact that a salary often no longer sufficient for securing the livelihood of an entire family. Due to the declining level of pensions, widow pensions reduced and a greater rate of divorce, the breadwinner model includes an increasingly financial risk for the " powered " person. Based on a study funded by the German Pension Insurance scientists warn, from utility derived rights in the pension system, " suggested the wife of a financial security in old age, which will, however, known to be no longer afford the widow's pension ."
The social development go in other directions, such as towards a Zuverdienermodell, which is also known as " modernized male breadwinner model " in which a partner in full-time and one part- time employment, or partnership models ( dual breadwinner model ), in which both partners in comparable extent employed on a full-time or part-time, as well as get involved in the care and education of children.
Risk of divorce
According to Gary Becker's theory of specialization in domestic and acquisition -related work is connected in marriage with a lower risk of separation. On the basis of panel data ( Socioeconomic Panel) West German marriages from 1984 to 2007 showed that the theory holds only when the man accepts gainful employment. Couples where only the wife is gainfully employed, have a substantially higher risk of divorce than couples where only the husband is employed. An equal division of paid work, however, has no influence on the risk of divorce.