Changes

In the late 1700s, when most Americans worked in agriculture on small farms or in small family businesses, the average full-time worker spent six days - a total of 72 hours a week, - working on the job.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1977/12/25/200-years-ago-the-12-hour-day-the-6-day-week/8a0f3c78-b7a0-4db4-ac33-00649519d1eb/ 200 Years Ago - The 12-Hour Day, The 6-Day Week], Washington Post, 1977</ref> According to the Economic History Association, "In the 1800s, many Americans worked seventy hours or more per week and the length of the workweek became an important political issue."<ref>[https://eh.net/encyclopedia/hours-of-work-in-u-s-history/ Hours of Work in U.S. History], Economic History Association</ref> (During the time of the [[industrial revolution]] in the 1800s, many people were factory workers and many factories had poor working conditions. In addition, labor unions pushed for lower working hours per week.).

In the late 1700s, when most Americans worked in agriculture on small farms or in small family businesses, the average full-time worker spent six days - a total of 72 hours a week, - working on the job.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1977/12/25/200-years-ago-the-12-hour-day-the-6-day-week/8a0f3c78-b7a0-4db4-ac33-00649519d1eb/ 200 Years Ago - The 12-Hour Day, The 6-Day Week], Washington Post, 1977</ref> According to the Economic History Association, "In the 1800s, many Americans worked seventy hours or more per week and the length of the workweek became an important political issue."<ref>[https://eh.net/encyclopedia/hours-of-work-in-u-s-history/ Hours of Work in U.S. History], Economic History Association</ref> (During the time of the [[industrial revolution]] in the 1800s, many people were factory workers and many factories had poor working conditions. In addition, labor unions pushed for lower working hours per week.).

The abstract for the Oxford Academic article states concerning John H. Pencavel's 2018 book ''Diminishing Returns at Work: The Consequences of Long Working Hours'':

The abstract for the Oxford Academic article states concerning a chapter of John H. Pencavel's 2018 book ''Diminishing Returns at Work: The Consequences of Long Working Hours'' entitled ''A Brief History of Working Hours'':

{{Cquote|Why did the length of the work day and work week decline in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries? In this chapter, the author explores possible explanations for these declines, contrasting events and trends in Britain and America, including the activities of trade unions, employers, statutory legislation, and the workings of labor markets. Classical economists tended to support the position taken by many employers which was to resist both legislation on hours and the efforts of trade unions to reduce hours. In the few instances in which the Classical economists provided precise reasons for their view, they made assumptions about the manner in which hours enter a firm’s production function. These assumptions can be tested which is the subject of the subsequent chapter.<ref>[https://academic.oup.com/book/36392/chapter-abstract/320016496?redirectedFrom=fulltext A Brief History of Working Hours], Diminishing Returns at Work: The Consequences of Long Working Hours by John H. Pencavel, https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190876166.003.0002 Pages 13–51. Published: June 2018</ref>}}

{{Cquote|Why did the length of the work day and work week decline in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries? In this chapter, the author explores possible explanations for these declines, contrasting events and trends in Britain and America, including the activities of trade unions, employers, statutory legislation, and the workings of labor markets. Classical economists tended to support the position taken by many employers which was to resist both legislation on hours and the efforts of trade unions to reduce hours. In the few instances in which the Classical economists provided precise reasons for their view, they made assumptions about the manner in which hours enter a firm’s production function. These assumptions can be tested which is the subject of the subsequent chapter.<ref>[https://academic.oup.com/book/36392/chapter-abstract/320016496?redirectedFrom=fulltext A Brief History of Working Hours], Diminishing Returns at Work: The Consequences of Long Working Hours by John H. Pencavel, https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190876166.003.0002 Pages 13–51. Published: June 2018</ref>}}