Making Light Work: An End to Toil in the Twenty-First Century

According to David A. Spencer, work is only an alienating burden due to the nature of work under capitalism. He argues for the lightening of work by engaging with thinkers ranging from Marx and William Morris to Keynes and Graeber, rejecting the idea that high-quality work can only be open to a few. He sets out an agenda for shortening the working week while also making work a site of creativity, usefulness, and joy for all.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 200 pages
Publication date: 11 February 2022
Publisher: Polity Press

Is work a primordial curse? Or a spiritual calling? Or is it a tedious necessity that technology will abolish, freeing us to indulge lives of leisure?

In this book, David A. Spencer argues that work is only an alienating burden due to the nature of work under capitalism. He makes the case not for the abolition of work, which can remain a source of meaning and dignity, but for its lightening. Engaging with thinkers ranging from Marx and William Morris to Keynes and Graeber, he rejects the idea that high-quality work can only be open to a few while the majority are condemned to menial tasks. He sets out an agenda for shortening the working week while also making work a site of creativity, usefulness, and joy for all.

This erudite book sets out a compelling agenda for radical change. Its essential reading for anyone interested in the future of their work.

Weight: 288g
Dimension: 138 x 216 x 27 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781509548637