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Some people could. There was also a lot more abject poverty.

They had to. Outside a few vocations, women weren’t allowed to work.

And now they have to work because a single income is no longer enough. Yay for progress.

Common misconception. Poverty levels were far higher. In 1950 half the global population lived in abject poverty. Today, it's less than 10%.

This was largely for relatively privileged people. Most families the mother worked as a teacher, nurse, domestic, secretary, nanny, etc.