People falsely assume that all these jobs before were the primary job of the person who has filling it. That’s false for a large number of service and retail jobs. A large number that were previously filled were second and even third jobs for people. A lot of people realised after having so much time at home with family , friends and pets that it’s just not worth that extra $$ to work that second job. People downsized living situations and can now “get by” in a lot less income. Others found out that trying to keep up with the Jones’s with new luxury cars and flashy homes is a rat race construct ment to enslave you to the property tax man and to the banks with interest on mortgages for oversized McMansions and leased automobiles at usury interest rates. People are better off for getting out of the rat race.
And for a married couple, the extra household expenses incurred for the other spouse to have a job, especially when they have children, really doesn’t make it all that worth it, over having one spouse to stay at home with the children.