A divorce court in China has ordered a man to pay his ex-wife the equivalent of $7,700 as compensation for housework during their marriage.

The case fell under a new civil code in China that enables someone to seek compensation during a divorce if they were the primary carer for children or elderly parents, or shouldered a disproportionate burden of housework. The ruling sparked much furore online, with a large poll from one Chinese media outlet showing that 94% thought the ruling didn’t give the woman enough*  (The Guardian, 24 Feb 2021).

* Yes!!

My comment:  This is a mare’s next.  There is  a host of scenarios here:  who has left the marriage in the first place;  can fault be attributed; who paid the mortgage,  how much of the husband”s money was passed over to the wife for living expenses …..goodness, all sorts of issues and quarrels could emerge.  Is there a fair way of working out the value of housekeeping, cooking and child- raising?   If so, I would like to hear ideas.

Meanwhile, on a personal note (and some some thirty years ago), in parting with my then wife in as civilized way as possible, I gave over the deeds of the house and all the furniture and fittings to her, plus a monthly stipend.  No lawyers. But then I had a greater earning ability than she did at the time.  A comparatively amicable parting, and epicurean peace of mind.