Why did poor women of the Third Estate work?

Correct answer: To support family livelihood

The governing concept is the economic condition of women belonging to the Third Estate before and during the French Revolution. Poor women generally came from families that depended on daily earnings, and many had to work to supplement the household income or support themselves and their children. Their work could include domestic service, sewing, laundering, selling goods, or assisting in markets and workshops. Therefore, option B is correct because livelihood and economic necessity were the main reasons for their employment. Option A is unrelated to their difficult circumstances, while options C and D describe privileges or motives that did not explain the labour of poor women. The question tests the link between poverty, family survival, and women’s work.