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by majormajor 23 days ago
Are we really so sure that reducing working hours can't, itself, lead to improved economic health? Such as by increasing distribution of income flows, and increasing time available for economic consumption?

One of the greatest tricks of the modern era in the US has been to convince everyone that making the slice of pie bigger for the richest people is necessary to grow the economy.

2 comments

In fact, we now know, with a fairly high degree of certainty, that it can.

There have been numerous experiments with four-day work weeks or six-hour work days that have almost uniformly shown increases in overall productivity.

Not just productivity per hour at work. Overall productivity.

The resistance to this is clearly not based in financial concerns, but rather in control, and classism.

> and increasing time available for economic consumption?

Where is that additional money going to come from? I think you’re missing some important factors in your analysis.

1. Not everyone is spending all their "spending money" every month, and 2. more free time allows people to get more value for their money (e.g. by comparing more alternative options).