How did gender roles change under authoritarian regimes?

Gender roles often changed under authoritarian regimes, typically becoming more rigid and traditional.

Under authoritarian regimes, gender roles often underwent significant changes, largely due to the state's desire to control and manipulate societal norms to suit their political agenda. These changes were typically characterised by a return to more traditional, rigid roles, particularly for women. However, the specific changes varied depending on the regime and its ideological underpinnings.

For instance, under Nazi Germany, women were encouraged to embrace their roles as mothers and homemakers, with the regime promoting a traditional, patriarchal family structure. This was part of a broader strategy to increase the Aryan population, with women being awarded for having multiple children. Similarly, under Franco's Spain, women's rights were severely curtailed, with the regime promoting a return to traditional Catholic values that emphasised women's roles as wives and mothers.

In contrast, under some communist regimes, women were encouraged to participate more actively in the workforce. For example, in the Soviet Union, women were granted equal legal status to men and were encouraged to take up roles in industries such as manufacturing and agriculture. However, despite this apparent progress, women were still expected to fulfil their traditional roles as mothers and homemakers, leading to a 'double burden' of work.

In many authoritarian regimes, the state exerted control over education and the media to propagate these gender norms. Textbooks and propaganda materials often depicted men and women in their 'ideal' roles, reinforcing the state's desired gender norms. Moreover, laws were often enacted to enforce these roles, such as laws restricting women's employment or access to contraception.

In conclusion, while the specific changes to gender roles varied depending on the regime, they were typically characterised by a return to more traditional, rigid roles. This was part of a broader strategy by authoritarian regimes to control and manipulate societal norms to suit their political agenda.