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May 11, 2005
'TWAS NOT THE TIME TO BE MERRY; 48-HOUR WEEK
As far as my writing goes, the just-departed election season was probably the most depressing one for me. I was, and am, uncomfortable with the fact that I was utterly indifferent to the outcome of something as important as an election. So long and good riddance to all that. I can now get back to important topics, like making a case for nuking Brussels.
48-HOUR WEEK: Actually, that was a little harsh (non-bureaucrats might die from the fallout). Still, one can forgive a little anger at the latest cretinism to come out of Brussels: enforcing a 48-hour work week.
To be clear: yes, it would be nice if nobody had to work a 48-hour week. In fact, life would be much better if nobody needed to work at all, because it would leave me more time to smoke cigarettes and drink cider. That, of course, is not an option. And for some people, either through choice or circumstance, working less than 48 hours is not an option they can afford or otherwise want to take. People who work more than 48 hours a week fall, for the most part into two categories: those who want to work longer because they need the money, and those who simply want extra money. The government has no right to tell either of these groups what hours they may work, since the individuals concerned have incentives to do what is right for them. But the former group will be hit worst -- why is it so terrible that they work long hours to keep them and their families out of poverty and debt?
There might be another smaller group of people who find that jobs working more than 48 hours a week are the only ones they can get, even though they would prefer to work shorter hours. That group of people might well be better off (at least, for as long as businesses did not get sick of being forbidden from hiring workers on their own terms). But that group is a minority, and not one whose interests should be put above everyone else's.
Nobody need be astonished that European economies are going down the toilet -- well-meaning but entirely clueless people, enacting moronic policies like this, are the ones pulling the chain.
Posted by Lewis at May 11, 2005 09:58 PM