[kojus]

> Never in the history of the world have people had to work fewer hours per week

This is false, medieval workers used to work less than we do[0]. We work less than 1800s laborers, but their life conditions was such an aberration that it gave rise to the socialist movement, mass strikes and bloody revolution attempts, which in turn forced governments and capitalists to reduce the average labor time.

[0]: https://groups.csail.mit.edu/mac/users/rauch/worktime/hours_...

[aerosmile]

That's a fair comment. In my mind, I have been focusing on the recent history, whereas technically if you go back to the beginning of human civilization, you could argue that people never clocked in and out. But they also had to do every little thing themselves rather than pay someone. Something's wrong with your roof|clothes|body|[anything]? You fix it all by yourself (and God help you if you don't know how to). Does fixing those things count as work? One way or another, we do have to take into account that free time means something different today than way back when.

[eurasiantiger]

It doesn’t count as work if it’s what you WANT to do with your life.

[musicale]

> socialist movement, mass strikes and bloody revolution attempts, which in turn forced governments and capitalists to reduce the average labor time

The industrial capitalists also discovered that a 40-hour week increased weekly factory output.

Henry Ford instituted a 40 hour week (down from 48) to simultaneously improve productivity and increase the demand for transportation (to food, shopping, and leisure locations.)

He also raised wages in the hopes that workers would buy more cars and spend more to stimulate the economy - and demand for cars.