Why a medieval peasant got more vacation time than you

In fact, economist Juliet Shor found that during periods of particularly high wages, such as 14th-century England, peasants might put in no more than 150 days a year.

As for the modern American worker? After a year on the job, she gets an average of eight vacation days annually.

So under a feudal system you could work 150 days a year.

I've always been of the mindset that the reason Americans work so much is to keep us busy and unaware, I myself have had many jobs where I worked 70-80 hour weeks.

Sure I made a lot, but in the end its part of what I contribute to me having a Stroke at age 25, one of the best things to happen to me. I was able to stop and see what truly matters in life, when your on your death bed you will never say "gee I wish I spent more time at work"

We are being kept underemployed so we have to work so much, mean while suggest walmart up their wages and people damn near riot.

Beyond burnout, vanishing vacations make our relationships with families and friends suffer. Our health is deteriorating: depression and higher risk of death are among the outcomes for our no-vacation nation. Some forward-thinking people have tried to reverse this trend, like progressive economist Robert Reich, who has argued in favor of a mandatory three weeks off for all American workers. Congressman Alan Grayson proposed the Paid Vacation Act of 2009, but alas, the bill didn’t even make it to the floor of Congress.

And there you go, Yet again our representatives voting against our own interest.


source

reply to post by benrl


We are all slaves to the dollar.





Personally I wish for the day when there are millions in DC asking our Government officials to resign. Until people really wake up, it wont happen though. Nice to dream, eh ?

and those same people died sooner , struggled more for daily survival and didn't have the interwebz to talk to all of you fine people on.. what's your point?

I work roughly 50 hours a week, have great relationships with my family, take 4-5 weeks vacation a year (though this year I cashed out 3 weeks for some extra money), lead a fulfilling and enjoyable life physically, financially, mentally and emotionally.

I know..let me reply for you..I'm a slave to the martrix.

The number one regret, of those on their deathbed, is that they wished they had spent more time with their family and friends.

Took me a while to wise up and listen to my elders. Slowing down my life, working less, living with less 'stuff' has been the best decision I could have made for myself. Exponential increase in joy.

To each their own, though.

Maybe they got all that vacation time because it took so long to get from London to Rome and back for holiday on horse-back. Now we do it a couple of hours.

I was looking in to take a week off work here in the next couple month because i am getting burned out at my job. I feel myself becoming less patient and quicker to get frustrated. This is a recipe for disaster working with the public in a tech support capacity like i do.

After doing some math and looking at my options i was clear that i cant afford it. I didnt plan on going anywhere, or doing anything, just a stay at home stay-cation. There is no way i can lose a weeks worth of wages and keep up on my bills.

My employer doesn't offer paid vacation and we have to earn our unpaid time off. As of right now i have enough unpaid time saved up to take well over a month off work. I doubt i will ever get to see any of that time used because my wages just barely cover my cost of living.

I am not a big spender living outside my means either, and i guess thats the part that makes this so hard. I pay rent, utilities, phone (landline) and internet. What little i have left over goes toward food and that misc stuff that always seems to pop up.

I really think this is done on purpose on some level, keep people barely surviving off of what they have so that the thought of losing a single day would be detrimental.

DC

reply to post by benrl


I get 7 weeks a year plus 8 days public holidays.
I think we should ALL get that.
Productivity increases when the workforce is rested, healthy and happy

I can't wait for the next labourers market. I could do whatever I wanted. Work in a hoppital one week, get a job in the park in the summer...

I always find it a little crazy knowing americans get so little annual leave. Are there any other developed countries that are similar?

reply to post by opethPA


im glad everybody has the opportunity to work at the same job you do, oh wait............

Originally posted by greavsie1971
I always find it a little crazy knowing americans get so little annual leave. Are there any other developed countries that are similar?

When i was saleried i got between 21-28 days paid holiday. When i was on an hourly rate i got nada. This was working as a Chef in various places in The UK.

reply to post by sonnny1


We ARE all slaves to the dollar.

The real issue is that aside from jobs, we also export our currency. Every Indian doctor, every South American lawyer. They all send money back home.

My wife worked for a Pakistani doctor that sent about 25k/week home. The indian doctor was more frugal, only sending home about 25k/month. But the indian hotelliers I know? Very, very large amounts of money.

Sometimes it benefits us as the money is often reinvested into American business (look at EB5 visa's).

reply to post by HelenConway


Seems to me we recently passed a law that guarantees a whole weeks vacation every month for everyone.

Remember that pesky old thing about unintended consequences of legislation?

Originally posted by DocHolidaze
reply to post by opethPA

 

im glad everybody has the opportunity to work at the same job you, oh wait............

That is my fault why?

Im 40 and 18 years into my career..lots of long nights..lots of long weekends and long business trips..
People make their own way in life.

Unless you are the current generation or those to follow then you are screwed..=(

I haven't had a vacation in 3 years

Wish I was a peasant

Wait....

Maybe I am one?

Originally posted by opethPA

Originally posted by DocHolidaze
reply to post by opethPA

 

im glad everybody has the opportunity to work at the same job you do, oh wait............

That is my fault why?

Im 40 and 18 years into my career..lots of long nights..lots of long weekends and long business trips..
People make their own way in life.

Unless you are the current generation or those to follow then you are screwed..=(

I didn't say u it was your fault, in fact i commend you, you have done something alot of people cant do and wont be able to do in the future. keep up the good work.

Yeah. Serfs had a great life. Plenty to eat. Great health care. Great working conditions.
I wish I was a serf.

Originally posted by Phage
Yeah. Serfs had a great life. Plenty to eat. Great health care. Great working conditions.
I wish I was a serf.

edit on 9/2/2013 by Phage because: (no reason given)

who says you aren't now.

reply to post by benrl

who says you aren't now.

My house. The food I eat. My working conditions. My healthcare. The lifestyle I live.

reply to post by benrl

Mediaeval peasants were agricultural workers, by definition.
There are times, like harvest, when agricultural work demands urgency, with all hands on deck.
At other times ,there may be nothing much to do but wait.
So a few days off, at the slack times of the year, would not make much difference.
That doesn't apply to most modern labour.