THE CRAFTSWOMAN FROM 1970-1980 TO TODAY

Abstract

This article surveys the place of craftswomen and the wives of craftsmen from the 1970s onwards. Historically, the profession and management skills were passed down within the family, but the company’s survival depended on the wife’s active presence in the business. This article examines the evolution in the role and skills of craftsmen’s wives and shows how craft businesses gradually moved away from having the characteristic of being conducted by a couple. One explanatory factor is the empowerment of wives through salaried employment outside the company. In addition, in the case of craftsmen working as a couple, we explain how the gendered division of labor, while still in place, is no longer the same as it once was. During the period examined, the proportion of women entrepreneurs grew at a faster rate than that of men. We show the processes that have enabled the daughters of workers and employees to develop their professional skills and set up their own businesses, thus renewing the pool of craftsmen. The profiles of craftswomen are found to be more diverse than in the past. While women are setting up companies in sectors traditionally reserved for their gender, the decline in family business transfers has enabled female heirs to take over traditionally male businesses. The improvement of female education has also allowed more women to create their own craft business.