Was the 40-Hour Workweek Meant for One Person or Two?

Looking back, we might have unintentionally built a society where a two-income household is no longer a choice but a necessity. Men and women both have more opportunities than ever, but at what cost? Despite greater material wealth, stress levels are higher, human connection is weaker, and life satisfaction seems to be declining.

Historically, many families could sustain themselves on a single full-time income, allowing one parent more flexibility to focus on raising children, working part-time, or pursuing other meaningful endeavors. But with an increased labor supply, wages have stagnated, making it nearly impossible for most households to survive on one income alone.

This isn’t about saying women shouldn’t work or that marriage and kids are the only paths to happiness - far from it. Everyone should have the freedom to pursue what brings them fulfillment, whether that’s career, family, or both. But when we step back and look at the bigger picture, it’s worth asking:

If one full-time income were enough to sustain a family comfortably, how many men and women would actually prefer to return to that model?

And is the decline in wages - making dual incomes a requirement rather than a choice - just an economic shift, or a system carefully designed to create more workers and maximize corporate profit?