Tom Walker wrote: > Michael Perelman wrote, > > >In other words, we are so intent on mis[measuring] monetary measures that we > >forget the real matters of importance. Sadly, as Louis's post reminds us, we > >only take notice of the "real issues" when it seems to come back and hit us > >personally -- as with the case of diseases that might infect us. > > Yeah, I guess that's why I have this obsession with unemployment, having > been (by my definition) unemployed for the last five years. Fellow named > Marx drafted a nice line for the Congress of the International Working Men's > Association some hundred and thirty odd years ago: > > "We declare that the limitation of the working day is a preliminary > condition without which all further attempts at improvement and emancipation > must prove abortive." > > As I've been trying to point out, the "bogus economists" understand this > point viscerally. > regards, > > Tom Walker Shortening the working day is a very good idea. Personally I choose to work 15-30 hours a week in a restaurant so I can have time and energy to focus on things I really enjoy doing like research ,writing and playing the piano. However, it might be hard to convince a majority to shorten their working hours since the reason they choose to work such long hours is to acquire the goodies that capitalism offers us.Many in the third world work long hours just to survive. Consumerism and the addiction of wanting more and more are very ingrained in the imperialist core. Emphasis should be put on self-realizing creative activity rather than passive consumption so people will desire less work time and more 'leisure time'. The alternative is to design a system were work and self-realizing creative activity coincide. This is socialism. Some may call this elitist, but it doesn't matter whether your proving complicated math formulas or sewing or doing woodwork. It has been my experience that many blue collar workers would certainly share their hours but not their paychecks. Shortening the working day or week without a concomitant cut in pay goes against the logic of capitalism. Might as well just advocate socialist revolution. I think shortening work time with a loss in pay is almost as desirable. Firms often find it cheaper to pay workers overtime rather than hire and train others. On the other hand, in the service industry, many part-time workers are hired instead of fewer full-time workers. Even unionized places do this( service sector unions here are weak)I have known many waiters who 4 hours a week at one place, 4 hours at another place etc. The point of this is to get workers to compete against each other for hours thus ensuring better management control of the workforce. This tactic works well here in Canada where we consistently have unemployment rates of 8-12% and college grads lined up for jobs in the service sector. I still think B.Russell's paper "In Defense of Idleness" is where its at. Sam Pawlett
