Children in the 20th-century family economy: From co-providers to consumers

Abstract

The position of children in the family economy changed fundamentally from the 19th century onward. In the Netherlands, the first child labor act was introduced in 1874; compulsory schooling was established in 1901. Since then, the economic contribution to the family income by children has gradually disappeared. Until the 1960s, in working-class families, the financial contribution of adolescents to the family income remained of great importance. Young workers gave their whole wage to the family in exchange for housing, food, clothes, and some pocket money. This article describes how the economic role of teenagers has changed since then. Nowadays, children and adolescents do not contribute to the family purse any longer.

Keywords:

• Family economy
• Teenagers
• 20th century

Notes

1 Nearly a hundred times between 1950 and 1985, board money received attention in published letters. Twelve times it was chosen as the “problem of the week.”

2 From 1938 until 1968, Margriet weet raad had a female editor who selected the letters for publication and answered them. After 1968, a team of professionals took over this task (cf. Brinkgreve & Korzec, 1987).

3 Data in Scholierenonderzoeken are analyzed according to school type. In Dutch secondary education, a strong link exists between school type and parent's socioeconomic status.