The family myth
The formula “family gave men power and women dependence” cuts away half the bargain.
The male provider role often brought more formal authority. It also imposed duties to maintain and protect the household, answer for debts, and provide for children. A wife’s dependence on her husband’s income existed alongside his dependence on her domestic labor, household work, and access to children.
That does not make the old family ideal. It could be rigid, unequal, and unjust.
But a rigid system of reciprocal roles is not the same thing as one-way male benefit.
Modern policy in many places weakened parts of male authority while preserving parts of male obligation. Conflicts around fatherhood, support, and access to children are examined in “Family and Children”.
Count not only “who made the decision?” but also who was required to pay, protect, answer for failure, and what happened when someone refused the role.