ABSTRACT
BeatriceandSidneyWebb'scontributiontotheeconomicsofgender centredprimarilyontherightofallwomentoenjoyatleastaminimal standardofeconomiccomfortandsecurity.Throughouttheirlivesthey campaignedtoensurethatthosewomenmostvulnerabletoeconomic exploitationwereprovidedwithameansforstavingoffthosewishingto takeadvantageoftheirvulnerability.Theywereenthusiasticadvocatesof theunionisationofwomenworkersandtheenactmentoflegislation designedtoensureallpeoplewereprovidedwithatleasttheminimum requirementsofacivilisedlifeandwhichcompelledemployerstoprovide minimumstandardsofemployment.Thatwomenshouldbedeniedtheir righttoprotectionfromexcessivedemandsonthepartofthosewho wouldexploittheirvulnerability,simplybecausemaleswerenotequally protected,wasaclaimtheWebbsconsideredunacceptable.Thelatter convictionledthemtoengageinaprolongeddebatewiththeoristsand activistswhoinsistedthatgovernmentsmustalwaysadoptgenderneutral labourmarketpolicies.Thischapterexaminesthecontributionmadeby theWebbstotheseissuesandoutlineshowtheirideasweretransformed overtheperiod1887-1920.
