2.1 HOUSEHOLD STRUCTURES AND GENDER
Moser argues that there is a tendency to make three generalized assumptions,
regardless of the empirical theory. First, that the household consists of a nuclear
family of husband, wife and one, two or three children. Second, that the household
functions as a socio-economic unit in which women and men have equal control over
resources and equal decision-making power. Third, that there is a clear division of
labor within the household. The division of labor implies that the husband gets
involved in productive work outside the home as 'breadwinner' and the housewife
takes overall responsibility regarding the reproductive and domestic work as
'homemaker' inside home (Moser, 1989: 1800 and 1993: 15). These assumptions
regarding the household (and the family) oversimplify a complex issue and overlook
some important aspects. As a result, they give a rather misleading picture of what a
household is.