Final answer:
The expansion of a market-based economy impacted workers by shifting labor demands and introducing new technologies, resulting in diverse opportunities and exploitation. Women faced lower wages and discrimination, but their increased workforce participation led to important reforms and set the stage for future advancements in gender equality. Professionals had to adapt to these changes amidst heightened calls for workers' and women's rights.
Step-by-step explanation:
The expanding market-based economy had profound effects on workers, professionals, and women. The introduction of women into the industrial workforce was a significant change, with many taking up roles traditionally held by men, especially during times of conflict when male workers were scarce. This provided unprecedented opportunities for women but also came with challenges, such as lower wages and societal expectations to revert to domestic roles post-conflict.
Professionals and other laborers experienced shifts in demand and had to adapt to new technologies and systems, which sometimes resulted in better opportunities but also more strenuous conditions and exploitation. For women, although their participation increased, they often faced discrimination, were paid less for the same work, and were pushed towards so-called women's jobs. Nonetheless, their increasing presence in the labor force, bolstered by their growing political power as voters, led to the establishment of the Women's Bureau in the Department of Labor and heightened national concern over child welfare and public education.
The progress made by women during this time laid the groundwork for future advancements in gender equality. Despite facing limitations and societal barriers, they moved from the private to the public sphere, taking on new roles and refusing to leave the running of the world exclusively to men. This period marked a transformative chapter in the roles and lives of women, affecting their standing in the workforce and society at large.