Some Economic Science Of Foot-Binding

When I receive got idea of foot-binding inwards the past, which wasn't all that often, I've tended to thought it every bit merely 1 of those grim social practices, built on a mixture of social positioning too sexism, which disfigured the bodies of women. That's non wrong, but it's an oversimplification. Why did such a practise arise at 1 time, but non roughly other time? Why did it end? Why did it differ across regions of China? Why feet? Xinyu Fan too Lingwei Wu give a fuller feel of context inwards "The Economic Motives for Foot-binding," a version of which was given at the meetings of the Allied Social Science Associations inwards Atlanta inwards early on January. 

Here's a comment on how foot-binding was perceived inwards China (footnotes too citations omitted):

Originating from a woman soul dancer inwards regal palace during the Five Dynasties (907-960), foot-binding persisted for close a millennium inwards historical China. ... Foot-binding decisions past times parents were made at girl’s early on childhood (i.e. historic catamenia v to 12), too union marketplace matching took house inwards a later on phase (i.e. 16-25). The bride’s household unit of measurement used the selection to bind daughter’s feet to compete for improve union opportunities too insure against downward mobility inwards the future. Regarding the value of foot-binding, men’s preference revealed it every bit a combination of appreciation of women’s beauty too virtue. For its aesthetic value, at that spot exists a long-standing admiration of women’s pocket-size feet too elegant gait, traceable inwards Chinese poems too prose. In addition, foot-binding was also considered every bit carrying a “vector of status” , every bit a symbol of elegance, skilful breeding too a grade of condition too virtue. Since foot-binding is a painful procedure for women to undertake, well-shaped too tiny outpouring feet also help to disclose their endurance, obedience too submissiveness. Taken together, every bit a bundle of beauty too women’s feminine virtue, foot-binding captured the commutation elements of men’s moral too aesthetic appreciation of women.

Fan too Wu indicate out that the foot-binding inwards China coincided amongst to a greater extent than widespread work of a national Civil Service Examination, which shook upward the possibilities for social mobility inwards China. They write:

"Foot-binding is modeled every bit a premarital investment made past times girls’ parents for union marketplace competition. The pith of our theory is to relate such investment decisions amongst the dynamics of a gender-specific social mobility organisation – the Civil Examination System (in Chinese, the Keju, 607-1905). Briefly, the exam organisation triggered a transition from heredity aristocracy to meritocracy, nether which organisation talented males could climb upward the social ladder past times passing exams patch those who failed the exams would motion downwards. As a consequence, the exams introduced greater social mobility, too resulted inwards a to a greater extent than heterogeneous composition of men compared to that of women on marital quality. This induced greater premarital investments past times women for improve union opportunities too against potential downward mobility. Foot-binding, every bit a bundle embodies both aesthetic too moral values of women, was adopted to differentiate themselves inwards the union marketplace too served every bit a social ladder for women to climb up."

Foot-binding varied past times region, too areas where physical mobility for women had greater economical value had less footbinding. 

Given that foot-binding deforms women’s feet, it sharply limits physical mobility hence precludes them from engaging inwards intensive non-sedentary activities, patch having much less of an effect on sedentary activities such every bit household handicraft production. Therefore, amid lower bird women who played an active income-earning role, foot-binding prevalence exhibited regional variations driven past times dissimilar agricultural regimes. In particular, foot-binding of lower bird women was highly prevalent inwards regions where women specialized inwards sedentary labor (e.g. household handicraft), too less pop inwards regions requiring labor-intensive farmland operate (e.g. rice cultivation). 

Footbinding ended early on inwards the 20th century. Part of the argue was a regime elbow grease against the practice. But economical forces were also at work. The national civil service exam ended inwards 1905, too educational too project opportunities for women were opening up.

Following the logic of the to a higher house model, nosotros characterize the turn down of foot-binding every bit the lawsuit of 2 forces: (1) the decreasing create goodness of foot-binding inwards the union market, driven past times equalization inwards gender-specific mobility; too (2) the increasing chance toll of foot-binding inwards the labor market. Regarding the kickoff force, the exam organisation was abolished officially inwards 1905. During the Republican too next periods, girls had increasing educational, economical too social/public opportunities. The increasing equality of opportunities promoted gendersymmetric mobility, too women’s lineament dispersion began to pick out manage of upward amongst that of men. ... Another economical strength driving women out of foot-binding was the modern industrialization procedure inwards textile. Combining information on local transportation, industrialization too economical development, Bossen too Gates (2017) demonstrated that the demise of foot-binding was closely related to the ascent of cloth industries that gradually replaced traditional household handicraft production, too roughly of them had to larn out domicile to operate inwards distant factories. Under these circumstances, foot-binding is no longer a desired tool to compete inwards the union market, every bit its benefits shrank patch its chance toll increased.