"Porter argues that while the postwar welfare state model was based on a family with a single male breadwinner, the new model is one that assumes multiple family earners and encourages employability for both men and women. The result has been greater formal equality for women, but at the same time the restructuring and reduction of benefits have undermined these gains and made women's lives increasingly difficult. This study, which uses concepts from political economy, feminism, and public policy, will be of interest across a range of disciplines."--Jacket