The Position of Women in Hindu Civilisation, from Prehistoric Times to the Present Day c13.15

c13.15

The theory of the joint ownership of the couple should have led to a number of important corollaries, and fortified the position of the wife against an unreasonable or vicious husband. This, however, does not seem to have taken place. One Dharmasūtra writer concludes from the joint ownership theory that the wife is entitled to incur normal expenditure on the household during her husband's absence². Another concedes to her a third share of the husband's property, in case she was superseded unjustly¹. But no further deductions were drawn.