[PEN-L:6016] Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Brad De Long on working hours

[Brad De Long <delong@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Jim Devine wrote:

>Others have replied to Brad on this so I'll try not to repeat their points.
>EP Thompson reminds us that the onset of capitalism led to the _rise_ in
>hours worked per year.

Very true...

>
>Also, industrial capitalism has led to a qualitative change in the nature
>and pace of work, often for the worse. In addition to Thompson, see the
>work of Herbert Gutman. No more drinking on the job, for instance.
>

I don't know about this. It seems to me that in historical
perspective--relative, say, to being a field slave at
Monticello--conditions of work here and now under modern industrial
capitalism are pretty good...

Brad DeLong