Between 1980 and 2000, average actual working hours per adult of working age rose by in the USA (to 1476) while falling by 170 in Germany to (973). These differentials are now enough to create significant differences in quality of life - and they imply that growth in per GDP may be a poor...

Within the OECD, there are significant differences in the trend and level of average work hours. [For example, from 1980 to 2000, average working hours per adult (ages 15-64) rose by 234 hours in the USA to 1476 while falling by 170 hours in Germany, to 973]. Since these trends appear to be...

This paper argues that public holidays facilitate the co-ordination of leisure time but do not constrain the annual amount of leisure. Public holidays therefore have benefits both in the utility of leisure on holidays and (by enabling people to maintain social contacts more easily) in increasing...