From rags to riches: The impact of rural development on women's status in an Indian village

Abstract This paper discusses change in women's status in a village in Maharashtra that experienced rapid agricultural growth during 1975–1987. It examines two objective indicators of women's status—education and mobility — as well as attitudinal indicators of autonomy, economic power and prestige. Economic growth is found to have a mixed effect on women's status: while freeing women from much tiresome work and giving them more prestige within the home, it resulted in reduced autonomy and economic power. Explanations are sought in modern theory on women and development and in historical evidence concerning the impact of industrialization on women in the now industrialized countries.