Labor and leisure : Should Europe work more, or America less?
Americans are materialists, Europeans civilized; Americans hardworking, Europeans lazy. Old stereotypes die hard on both sides of the Atlantic, and now they have taken on a new dimension: work time. Last week the International Monetary Fund made headlines by calling on Europeans to work more as a way to combat high unemployment, low job growth and comparatively low income levels. The recent attempt by the German company Siemens to roll back the 35-hour week was met by a chorus of “I told you so.” Meanwhile, a recent report in this newspaper showed that Europeans continue to pride themselves on being less materialistic and more focused on family and community than their American counterparts (“Continent guards its right to leisure,” July 19). There is, of course, an element of truth in these stereotypes, but as descriptions of two supposedly different cultures, they are far too simplistic. Take the percentage of the workforce employed, for example. Widely cited by American commentators
