Strategies and Impact of Shanghai Women Managing Household Finances in Modern China From Happy Home Magazine (1936–1949)

Abstract

This article examines women in 1930s–1940s Shanghai, China, using historical materials from Happy Home magazine to explore the strategies and impact of modern women in household economic management. Set against the backdrop of Shanghai's urbanization, it analyzes how women gradually participated in family economic affairs through strategies such as scientific financial management, rational consumption, asset appreciation, and the pursuit of economic independence. The article concludes that the process of Shanghai women managing household finances promoted family economic development, which not only enhanced their self-worth but also reshaped marital relationships, promoted gender equality, and boosted the prosperity of the consumer market.