YOUNG-WOMEN ON DUTCH FAMILY FARMS

This paper examines whether the position of young farmers' wives has c hanged during the 1980s. Statistical data from 1989 and 1982 are compa red to assess changes in work roles, marital relations and status on t he farm. It appears that farm women are more frequently working off th e farm and that participation in farm work has acquired a more occasio nal character. There is furthermore a large increase in marriage contr acts and assigning women a special status for tax purposes. It is conc luded that changes reflect farm families' consciousness of fiscal and legal aspects, but do not reflect significant changes in women's posit ion vis-a-vis their husbands.