The standard of men providing for women only makes sense in a more patriarchal structure, wherein the one doing the providing can do so within the proper structure that advantages him, and receives offspring and a housewife as a return.
That was a social contract back before industrial revolution.
I've read book about XIX century peasants, and it describes hard working men on the field, and women doing chores like sweeping, cooking and children care, and that was a fair exchange - because men have naturally more strength, women doesn't, but could contribute in other way to enhance their environment in a positive way.
In this book also was an arc, about male peasants fighting about their land rights who get arrested because of fighting between them and noble sended thugs. And village community was in giant trouble, because every men was arrested, and there was nobody to do field work - everyone was in danger of starvation. No women could perform as well, as men in field - also they had houses full of kids & cattle to care off.
Luckily, men from neighbouring village helped them out of comradery in misery, and resulted in happy ending.
If someone's interested, the book's name is The Peasants - Reymont Władysław Stanisław. One of the main novel character is a 10/10 foid trying to bang with everyone in a village, thus destroying internal harmony of community. Luckily she got also a happy ending, as a cesspool diver.
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