Although his major work was never translated in 
English, a crucial writer in Europe in the XIX 
century was Schmoller, the leader of the Younger German
Historical School. In his Grundriß, he explained 
very well that women's unpaid labour (including 
but not limited to childrearing) has clear positive externalities.

Indeed, it is deemed as a prerequisite for men's 
involvement in the market economy. Thus, although 
Schmoller does not come to the point of advocating
for subsidies to mother and women carers, still 
he sketches a framework of comprehensive 
family-friendly policies, spanning from urban planning to
labour organisation, aimed at the conciliation of 
(men's and women's) family life and (men's) market work.

Carlo D'Ippoliti