Why couldn't women own property?

Answer 1

This is an extremely broad topic and can only be addressed very briefly.

Women could own property in various places and times throughout history but most men routinely did all they could to prevent it by passing laws that benefitted men whenever the opportunity presented itself.

Ownership of property brings power and wealth. Some of the earliest human societies and cultures were matriarchal and tribal lands passed through the mother. However, women are always in a vulnerable position because of child bearing and men gradually subjugated women so that husbands and wives were considered one and that one was the husband. In many times and places women had no separate existence under the law and any property she owned or inherited became her husbands property when she married. Unmarried women and widows had the best chance at owning and controlling their own property. In some times and places they required a male guardian to act for them.

Fortunately there were always fair minded men who treated their wives and daughters well. Those men were not always happy that their own lands would pass to their sons-in-law to sell or squander when they died and their daughters inherited their property. Trusts evolved to address that problem. Property could be placed in a trust when a father wanted to make certain the land would always benefit his daughter.

In modern Western cultures, women have the same property rights as men wherever private ownership of property is allowed. Women have full rights of property ownership in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Europe.

In most regions in Africa and Asia women are still denied the right to own and inherit real property. In many places rights come and go as unending political conflicts come and go. This exclusion of women from owning land keeps them and their children in squalid conditions in the overcrowded cities and it keeps them poor. Widows are evicted upon the death of their husbands and women can be evicted from their marital home when their husband takes a second or third wife. On the other hand, although women often make up the majority of small farmers they are not allowed to own the land they farm. However, throughout Africa women are finding a voice and things are changing slowly.

Pakistan has recently set aside land to be distributed to women. The men are angry and fear this will encourage women to seek a more active role in other areas of life. Men have historically taken control of all land. To prevent this from happening the newly distributed land cannot be sold for at least 15 years and the heirs can only be female next-of-kin. This program is meeting up with strong resistance at every step in the process. It will be interesting to see how and if it continues.

Swaziland (2010) has recently granted women the right to own and control property in their own name.

Bolivia has recognized the right of women to own and control their own land since 1996 but the stubborn patriarchal traditions in the villages still deny those rights. This highlights a major problem for women everywhere: Although the law may be on their side the long-standing social and cultural customs deny them their rights under the law and the government doesn't do what's necessary to guarantee their rights.

Answer 2

well, women weren't allowed to own property cuz their husbands don't let them. they thought if a women was married, they were controlled by their husband.