--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Traditionally, marriage involved a kind…" description: "\"Traditionally, marriage involved a kind of bartering, rather than mutual inter-dependence or role sharing. Husbands financially and economically suppor..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d1/bettina-arndt-69318_bartering_traditionally-marriage-involved-a-kind-o_3104612.jpg" --- # Traditionally, marriage involved a kind of bartering… ![“Traditionally, marriage involved a kind of bartering, rather than mutual inter-dependence or role sharing. Husbands financially and economically supported wives, while wives emotionally, psychologically and socially supported husbands. He brought home the bacon, she cooked it. He fixed the…” quote by Bettina Arndt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d1/bettina-arndt-69318_bartering_traditionally-marriage-involved-a-kind-o_3104612.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d1/bettina-arndt-69318_bartering_traditionally-marriage-involved-a-kind-o_3104612.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d1/bettina-arndt-69318_bartering_traditionally-marriage-involved-a-kind-o_3104612.jpg) > “Traditionally, marriage involved a kind of bartering, rather than mutual inter-dependence or role sharing. Husbands financially and economically supported wives, while wives emotionally, psychologically and socially supported husbands. He brought home the bacon, she cooked it. He fixed the plumbing, she the psyche.” Bettina Arndt ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Traditional marriage often functioned as a reciprocal exchange of economic and emotional support, not equal partnership **In simple terms:** Marriage used to be a barter system of support Key Takeaway Recognize historical role dynamics for modern equality Themes gender relationships history Mood reflective thoughtful Type educational analytical When to use this quote - marriage counseling - gender studies - relationship workshops - family therapy Key Concepts role exchange economic dependency emotional labor social expectations Questions to Reflect On - How can couples renegotiate traditional expectations? - What structures support equitable emotional and economic sharing? A Different Perspective Modern relationships may reject barter models but still face unequal labor distribution ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bartering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bartering/) [Dependence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dependence/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Husband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/husband/) [Husbands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/husbands/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Wife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wife/) ## Related quotes > [Traditionally, marriage is one arena where states have all but plenary power; it took until 1967 for the Supreme Court to tell states they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-greenfield/traditionally-marriage-is-one-arena-where-states-have-all-but-plenary/) [Jeff Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-greenfield/) > [Although people have different perceptions, I personally define myself as a mother. My life has been revolving around children since a young age. Before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reham-khan/although-people-have-different-perceptions-i-personally-define-myself/) [Reham Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reham-khan/) > [Just traded 2 Pumpkins for a bottle of Pinnacle Whip... I ¥ bartering!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-yvars/just-traded-2-pumpkins-for-a-bottle-of-pinnacle-whip-i-bartering/) Daniel Yvars > [Stop bartering away your body, heart, energy and time, seeking approval of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/stop-bartering-away-your-body-heart-energy-and-time-seeking-approval/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I pay my models to work with me, so there becomes this weird sort of economic bartering thing, which made me feel really sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/i-pay-my-models-to-work-with-me-so-there-becomes-this-weird-sort-of/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [Bartering is not my strong point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-garraway/bartering-is-not-my-strong-point/) [Kate Garraway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-garraway/) > [“I'd traded my soul for the chance to get even, bartering with the Devil with a life that was not my own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-s-thompson/i-d-traded-my-soul-for-the-chance-to-get-even-bartering-with-the/) [Nancy S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-s-thompson/) > [The commerce of minds was necessarily the first commerce in the world, ... since before bartering things one must barter signs, and it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-valery/the-commerce-of-minds-was-necessarily-the-first-commerce-in-the-world/) [Paul Valery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-valery/) > [There are always those who are willing to surrender local self-government and turn over their affairs to some national authority in exchange for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/there-are-always-those-who-are-willing-to-surrender-local-self/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > [“He looked upon this verdant, blossoming spring, a spring Joanna would never see, he looked upon a field of brilliant blue flowers- the bluebells…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-kay-penman/he-looked-upon-this-verdant-blossoming-spring-a-spring-joanna-would/) [Sharon Kay Penman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-kay-penman/) > [I will not trade freedom for beneficence nor my dignity for a handout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-alfange/i-will-not-trade-freedom-for-beneficence-nor-my-dignity-for-a-handout/) [Dean Alfange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-alfange/) > [“I was afraid that if I did anything at all without bartering for at least some small thing in return, he might think I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaux-fragoso/i-was-afraid-that-if-i-did-anything-at-all-without-bartering-for-at/) [Margaux Fragoso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaux-fragoso/) > [ ...\[We\] must stop these swarms of Jews who are trading, bartering and robbing. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/we-must-stop-these-swarms-of-jews-who-are-trading-bartering-and/) [William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/) > [Beware of bartering the Word of God for a more suitable conception of your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/beware-of-bartering-the-word-of-god-for-a-more-suitable-conception-of/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [What really matters is getting new people in. The constitutional changes matter, but the thing that the party mustn't do is turn in on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/what-really-matters-is-getting-new-people-in-the-constitutional/) [Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/) ## More by Bettina Arndt > [The truth is despite the hard work and juggling required to keep the different facets of the frantic life afloat, the "superwoman"has one marvelous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bettina-arndt/the-truth-is-despite-the-hard-work-and-juggling-required-to-keep-the/) Bettina Arndt > [The good husbands understand and offer to help. "All you have to do is ask" they say. But even helpful husbands have to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bettina-arndt/the-good-husbands-understand-and-offer-to-help-all-you-have-to-do-is/) Bettina Arndt > [Women hope men will change after marriage but they don't; men hope women won't change but they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bettina-arndt/women-hope-men-will-change-after-marriage-but-they-don-t-men-hope/) Bettina Arndt Explore all 4 Bettina Arndt quotes ## More Bartering quotes > [Beware of bartering the Word of God for a more suitable conception of your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/beware-of-bartering-the-word-of-god-for-a-more-suitable-conception-of/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [ ...\[We\] must stop these swarms of Jews who are trading, bartering and robbing. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/we-must-stop-these-swarms-of-jews-who-are-trading-bartering-and/) [William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/) > [“I was afraid that if I did anything at all without bartering for at least some small thing in return, he might think I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaux-fragoso/i-was-afraid-that-if-i-did-anything-at-all-without-bartering-for-at/) [Margaux Fragoso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaux-fragoso/) > [I will not trade freedom for beneficence nor my dignity for a handout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-alfange/i-will-not-trade-freedom-for-beneficence-nor-my-dignity-for-a-handout/) [Dean Alfange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-alfange/) > [“He looked upon this verdant, blossoming spring, a spring Joanna would never see, he looked upon a field of brilliant blue flowers- the bluebells…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-kay-penman/he-looked-upon-this-verdant-blossoming-spring-a-spring-joanna-would/) [Sharon Kay Penman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-kay-penman/) > [There are always those who are willing to surrender local self-government and turn over their affairs to some national authority in exchange for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/there-are-always-those-who-are-willing-to-surrender-local-self/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > [“I'd traded my soul for the chance to get even, bartering with the Devil with a life that was not my own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-s-thompson/i-d-traded-my-soul-for-the-chance-to-get-even-bartering-with-the/) [Nancy S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-s-thompson/) > [Bartering is not my strong point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-garraway/bartering-is-not-my-strong-point/) [Kate Garraway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-garraway/) > [I pay my models to work with me, so there becomes this weird sort of economic bartering thing, which made me feel really sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/i-pay-my-models-to-work-with-me-so-there-becomes-this-weird-sort-of/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [Stop bartering away your body, heart, energy and time, seeking approval of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/stop-bartering-away-your-body-heart-energy-and-time-seeking-approval/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Just traded 2 Pumpkins for a bottle of Pinnacle Whip... I ¥ bartering!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-yvars/just-traded-2-pumpkins-for-a-bottle-of-pinnacle-whip-i-bartering/) Daniel Yvars > [The commerce of minds was necessarily the first commerce in the world, ... since before bartering things one must barter signs, and it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-valery/the-commerce-of-minds-was-necessarily-the-first-commerce-in-the-world/) [Paul Valery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-valery/) [Browse all 13 Bartering quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bartering/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Traditionally, marriage involved a kind of bartering, rather than mutual inter-dependence or role sharing. Husbands financially and economically supported wives, while wives emotionally, psychologically and socially supported husbands. He brought home the bacon, she cooked it. 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