GIRLPOWER The European Marriage Pattern (EMP) and labour markets in the North Sea region in the late medieval and early modern period (original) (raw)

The paper explores the European Marriage Pattern (EMP) and its relationship to labor markets in the North Sea region during the late medieval and early modern periods. The EMP is framed as a cooperative economic unit characterized by power dynamics and inequalities, with a focus on the roles of men, women, and children within marriage. It suggests that the EMP arose from expanding employment opportunities post-Black Death, representing a reproductive strategy for wage earners. The findings posit that the distinctive features of the EMP contributed significantly to societal structures and economic success in the region, as well as setting the stage for future feminist movements.