Matthias Lehner

This chapter critically examines the pervasive belief that economic progress naturally leads to increased leisure time. While early 20th-century thinkers like John Maynard Keynes predicted a future of abundant free time driven by productivity gains, work hours in many high-income countries have stagnated or increased since the 1980s. The chapter argues that this paradox is not the result of individual choice but of institutional, cultural and economic factors. These include deregulated labour markets, declining union power and a cultural valorisation of overwork, particularly among high earners. The myth obscures harmful consequences: rising inequality, deteriorating well-being, reduced civic engagement, and environmental degradation. It highlights that work-time reduction is not automatic but requires deliberate policy, such as shorter workweek legislation, collective bargaining and social investments. The chapter also critiques the optimistic narratives surrounding AI, suggesting that without structural reform, automation is more likely to intensify overwork than liberate time. Ultimately, it calls for reclaiming time as a political and societal imperative – one that prioritises well-being, equity and sustainability over perpetual economic expansion.