A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

Responsibility, trust and gender in the economic decision-making of peasant households: enclosure in Southwest Finland 1760-1820




AuthorsLaine Kirsi

PublisherROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD

Publication year2022

JournalScandinavian Economic History Review

Journal name in sourceSCANDINAVIAN ECONOMIC HISTORY REVIEW

Journal acronymSCAND ECON HIST REV

Volume70

Issue2

First page 181

Last page194

Number of pages14

ISSN0358-5522

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1080/03585522.2021.1931430

Web address https://doi.org/10.1080/03585522.2021.1931430

Self-archived copy’s web addresshttps://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/67243616


Abstract
This article studies gender roles in the economic decision-making of peasant farms in Southwest Finland in the late eighteenth century and the early nineteenth century. This is a new perspective on enclosure and a new context to study gender roles in economic matters. Decisions concerning enclosure were primarily made by male household heads. Exceptions to the decision-making norm open up a perspective onto a more detailed picture of gendered responsibility in economic matters in peasant households. The results show that the responsibility of a male head of a household for making decisions regarding the land was binding. Whereas men used representatives in extremely exceptional circumstances only, a half of the female household heads used a representative at least at some point. Both men and women primarily trusted the younger generation when it came to choosing representatives. Women attended enclosure meetings rarely, but when they did, their participation was not questioned. Women acted just like other stakeholders at the meeting.

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Last updated on 2024-26-11 at 21:54