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Expatriarch - "Patriarchy isn't real": Why men provide for their wives [View all]
The idea that patriarchy isn't real or that husbands provided for wives out of generosity is easily dispatched in just one word: Coverture.
Women's legal rights were suspended in marriage and she ceased to be her own legal entity, instead being 'covered' by her husband. Women were not allowed to own property, keep their own income, enter into legal contracts, sue or be sued or make purchases without their husband's approval. They were entirely at the mercy of their husbands, who were not legally obligated to provide for their wife's support.
The laws of Coverture continued from the middle ages right through to the 19th century and were still present in some states laws in the 20th century. Impacting case law even within my own lifetime.
Patriarchy is far from ancient history, we're still dealing with untangling the legal and social impact of coverture
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