How Much Time Is Too Much Time?

The study of domestic inequality has become prominent in the past two decades, with more economists and policymakers studying the root cause of inequality which is seen to get manifested through domestic labour (Blau 1998). Not only is domestic labour unequal, but it is predominantly undertaken by women who do not derive any direct remuneration or compensation. While paid employment is often associated with greater economic independence for women, it is also associated with the creation of a “triple overlap” between gender, economy and family for women (Blumberg 1991). Swaminathan (2005) problematises this as an increase in employment does not always result in the unburdening of domestic duties and care work for women.

As a result, irrespective of social and economic status, women had to make personal adjustments to effectively fulfil multiple roles (Kabeer 2007). Even though women received earnings and were able to achieve power at the workplace outside the roles of being a mother or a wife, the tasks relating to domestic management and care rested on their shoulders (Gershuny 2003; Swaminathan 2005). The inequality in domestic labour has now become a key focus of political debates. In the same vein, in the recent state elections, political parties in Tamil Nadu had proposed to provide remuneration for the domestic work undertaken by “housewives.” Even though the proposal was lauded, some argued that domestic work is forced work and its monetisation might disrupt the larger goal of bringing more women into the paid labour market. Such an argument might be devoid of nuances that we will lay out in this article. Irrespective of the implication of the remuneration, the proposal has generated a political argument on the need for recognising domestic work.