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Dynamics and changing structures of firms and industries are usually the focus of evolutionary economics, while the household and sexual division of labour are often overlooked within this approach. This work investigates the evolutionary economic dynamics of the latter by analysing the little known theory described in Gustav von Schmoller's main economic work.

The leader of the German Historical School, Schmoller is one of the most influential economists of the XIX century, though has later been largely forgotten. He considered the sexual division of labour within households as complementary to and prerequisite of the division of labour within the market and between the market and the public sector.

His analysis of cumulative causation between evolution of the market and of the family economy highlights interesting features of his evolutionary economic method more in general.