Margaret Benston

Margaret Benston was a Marxist feminist. She wrote the influential article, "The Political Economy of Women's Liberation", published in 1969. She believed that the amount of unpaid labour done by women (in house work, taking care of children etc.) is very profitable to others. Benston said that if women were paid at minimum wage, it would involve a large redistribution of wealth. The man of the household would usually be the one that earned the income, but the women would do just as much work for no charge inside of the house from chores and child care. The woman as a housewife would tend to her husbands needs and would keep him in good working order by feeding him, cleaning his clothes, doing the chores so he doesn't have to, which allows him to do his job which he is paid for well.

---