Do you think women were better off before or after WWI?

Answer 1

After WW1 because that when the feminist and social consciousness movements began.

Answer 2

After

Answer 3

Philo gave an interesting answer. I agree with his thoughts and think he expressed them well. Since we only have the "here and now" to live today we should concentrate on making the best of the time that we live in. Sometimes most women I know are overwhelmed with the responsibilities that we have but most of us get them done. I know many women who have a sense of accomplishment that perhaps is different than women in earlier times, but these are the same women who are exhausted at the end of the day. Perhaps the women in pre WWI days did not have the work revolution to comfort them or have as many financial choices and opportunities, but I'll bet that plowing that field or washing clothes on a rub board after boiling your own soap on a hot fire while watching out for "Injuns" (please don't berate me I am part Indian and mean nothing by this - just a description of pioneer days) could send you to sleep just as exhausted. Have we really improved our lives, or just made things work more quickly so we can do more work. Why don't we ask that of our husbands when we are cooking dinner tomorrow night after we come home from a full days work, after picking up the kids at daycare or soccer practice, making a grocery run to get supplies, bathing and feeding the baby, at the same time the washing machine is running, the dog needs to be fed and the phone is ringing with news of the book fair-girl scout cookie sale or church activity coming up. After putting dinner on the table, trying to teach children table manners (broccoli with cheese sauce does not go well with the carpet, and or wallpaper)
mopping the floor, tucking the kids in, showering and getting into our PJ's, waking our husbands up in the recliner where he has fallen asleep watching the ball game with the paper open across his chest. Then after his nap, why don't we ask him this question when he pipes up "How was your day, honey?"
Does this sound familiar to anyone?

Answer 4

Before WWII, women seldom worked outside the home, and were expected to do little more than marry and have children and keep their house clean and cook for their husbands. During WWII, women were encouraged to enter the workforce for the first time. Women were able to perform the jobs men who had left to fight had previously performed, proving that they could do just about anything men could do (women still didn't play a big role in combat, since women are still to this day restricted from the front lines in war). After the war, the government encouraged women to return to "their place" in their homes so men could take back their jobs. (The movie "A League of Their Own" discusses this a bit.) Still, the experiences of those women during the war years lead to a feminst movement that called equality for women, including the opportunity to earn a living on their own.

So I'd say women have been better off since WWII.

Answer 5

After WW I?

The single biggest improvement for women in the US and the UK came when they were given the vote. Social restrictions on living independently, sex, driving, smoking, etc were eased somewhat (not as much as conventional wisdom would have it) and the average young woman in the US enjoyed more freedom, better access to education and more choices in careers.

As a US citizen however, she was worse off; since inflation was steadily rising, the Spanish influenza epidemic was claiming hundreds of thousands of lives, Prohibition was about to be ratified, starting in an era of political corruption unequalled before or since, and the world was a much less secure place than it had been in July of 1914.

Answer 6

Before, roles were more strictly defined. There were fewer choices, less freedom, but less confusion about how / what to be. After, roles were less strictly defined, but more freedom to choose a path in life brings with it all the anxiety about making the "wrong" choice. So if you want to decide which is better you need a clearly articulated system of values that tells you how to trade off uncertainty against freedom.

Answer 7

In the US everyone was better off, the depression was over and everyone had more disposable income. Advances in home appliances made the job of homemakers easier. Women were also coming into their own, higher education was more accessible and independence developed during the war carried over into every facet of their lives.

Answer 8

definately better. during the war women were completely independent. i beleive womens rights and equality would not have been pushed for for several more years if the war had not happened. during the war there were women doing jobs that men never would have allowed them to do, but because everyone was away there was no one else to do it.

Answer 9

After. Freedom for Women! What more is there!

Answer 10

afterward definately cause then women knew that they had skills from working in the factories and could take care of themselves and make money. I hope this helps. good luck and god bless.