David A. Spencer - Making Light Work

1 Cover

2 Title Page Making Light Work An End to Toil in the Twenty‑First Century David A. Spencer polity

3 Copyright Copyright © David A. Spencer 2022 The right of David A. Spencer to be identified as Author of this Work has been asserted in accordance with the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. First published in 2022 by Polity Press Polity Press 65 Bridge Street Cambridge CB2 1UR, UK Polity Press 101 Station Landing Suite 300 Medford, MA 02155, USA All rights reserved. Except for the quotation of short passages for the purpose of criticism and review, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. ISBN-13: 978-1-5095-4864-4 A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Library of Congress Control Number: 2021941123 The publisher has used its best endeavours to ensure that the URLs for external websites referred to in this book are correct and active at the time of going to press. However, the publisher has no responsibility for the websites and can make no guarantee that a site will remain live or that the content is or will remain appropriate. Every effort has been made to trace all copyright holders, but if any have been overlooked the publisher will be pleased to include any necessary credits in any subsequent reprint or edition. For further information on Polity, visit our website: politybooks.com

4 Dedication Dedication For Deborah, Polly and Florence

5 Acknowledgements Acknowledgements This book has benefitted from the inputs of a number of people. I would like to thank the following who contributed to the ideas in the book with conversations, comments and advice: Andrew Brown, John Budd, Felix Fitzroy, Robert Skidelsky and Gary Slater. I have gained from working with Matt Cole, Chris Forde, Simon Joyce, Chris McLachlan, Mark Stuart and Xanthe Whittaker on different research projects and from participating in the ESRC Digital Futures at Work Research Centre. I wrote this book while Head of the Economics Division at Leeds University Business School. Thanks to colleagues in the Division and School for their support. I would also like to thank the students I have taught. Those on my third-year undergraduate module ‘The Political Economy of Work’ have proved a particular source of insight and inspiration. I am grateful to be in a position where I can teach ideas that derive from my own research and for the opportunity to engage with such great students. George Owers at Polity provided important encouragement and constructive criticism throughout all stages of the book. The comments of three anonymous reviewers were also helpful in improving the contents of the book. Fiona Sewell provided valuable copy-editing. Finally, I would like to thank my wife, Deborah, and my daughters, Polly and Florence. The book has meant long periods of self-isolation and some personal struggle. Thank you, Deborah, Polly and Florence, for always being there and for lightening my life.

6 1 Introduction 1 Introduction I don’t like work – no man does – but I like what is in the work – the chance to find yourself. Your own reality – for yourself not for others – what no other man can ever know. They can only see the mere show, and never can tell what it really means. Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness (1899) Work, work, work Notes

7 2 Meanings of Work The curse of work The virtue of work Work and alienation Work as art Work beyond work Notes

8 3 The (Lost) Dream of Working Less In the long run, we will all work shorter hours The never-ending story of work Power matters Demanding work The benefits of working less Notes

9 4 Realities of Work: From Bullshit Jobs to Good Work Bullshit jobs The ills of work The costs of unemployment The quality of work Notes

10 5 Demanding Better Work for All Choosing the work we want The illusion of free choice Adapting to adversity Power trumps efficiency The human costs of low-quality work Equalizing the distribution of high-quality work Justice in work Notes

11 6 Automation and a World without Work Machine dreams Technology, automation and the quality of work A lament for work Automating drudgery Ownership matters Notes

12 7 Working for Change The limits to growth Crisis capitalism Beyond full employment Income support Working less is more Reimagining work Notes

13 8 Conclusion Making light work Notes

14 References

15 Index

16 End User License Agreement

1 Chapter 3 Table 1Average usual weekly hours worked, full-time employment, 1983 and 2019 (OECD) Table 2Annual hours actually worked by workers, inclusive of full-time and part-time, …

1 Cover

2 Table of Contents

3 Title Page

4 Copyright

5 Dedication

6 Acknowledgements

7 Begin Reading

8 References

9 Index

10 End User License Agreement

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David A. Spencer

polity

Copyright © David A. Spencer 2022