Are Americans Working more than ever?


Hours worked has declined (either 0.5% or 10% depending) since the 1960's. 
See:

 http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2000/07/art3exc.htm

I have seen two different studies on "time spent working" that gave
what appear to be opposite results. One reported that people actually
work fewer hours per year than in the past, the other said they have less
leisure time than in the past.

The difference is (I think) that people today spend more time driving
their cars than ever before. They live farther from work, and traffic
moves slower in and around most cities, than before.  Hence less time
working and also less leisure time.

I see it this way: people today clearly work a smaller fraction of their
life than ever in history. They stay in school longer, retire younger
(that may change soon since Social Security stopped penalizing workers 
over 65 who collect SS), and they live longer after retirement.

And family incomes are higher. See:

 http://www.census.gov/pub/hhes/income/histinc/f03.html

The claim that "people in the US now work more than in the past" is based
on data which use the fact that more people now have a job than in the past.
This is mostly because of the increase in working wives.  The fact that more
wives now work should not be interpreted as meaning that "people on average
work more".  Wives "worked" in the past.  On the frontier and during the 
1950's.  They just didn't get paid for it. 


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jim blair (jeblair@facstaff.wisc.edu) For a good time call
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