Breadwinning was the only option...

An excerpt from the book The Logic of Life by Tim Harford.

The logic of comparative advantage highlighted something that most men — except economists — have found it hard to get their heads around: there is no reason to believe that men were breadwinners because they were any good at it. They might simply have been breadwinners because getting them to help around the house would have been even worse.

Read a compelling take about how the institution of divorce actually helps women on Slate here...