Séance avec Hélène Perivier (OFCE) du séminaire "Capitalism, Welfare Regime and Intimate Sphere: Theory of Human Reproduction in Mature Societies in Europe and East Asia"(CAPWELCARE).

The French Welfare State was built historically on familialism. It was designed to promote the specialized married couple, the so-called “Male Breadwinner Model”. This model relied on social protections (pensions, health insurance…), taxation and legal framework that protect married couples and encourage wife to be specialized in Home production and husband in market production. Patriarchy was at the basis of this model, as originally the head of household, the father/husband, was the owner of social and tax rights and in charge of parental authority. During the 1970’s, this model has been reformed in several aspects under the pressure of the tremendous increase in female participation in the labour market, and feminist movements. Nevertheless, the old male breadwinner model has not been replaced by a new one that would promote gender equality. The decrease in marriages, increase in divorces and cohabitations has undermined the consistency of the French Welfare State. In the same time, the sexual division of labour has not disappeared: women are still in charge the most part of home production but do not benefit anymore from specific protections. The French Welfare State suffers from a lack of easy reading purpose and is still tied to the so-called traditional family. Social innovation is required to build a new social model that could promote gender equality and emancipation. 

This lecture is part of the seminar "Capitalism, Welfare Regime and Intimate Sphere: Theory of Human Reproduction in Mature Societies in Europe and East Asia".