Which country has the hardest-working citizens?
Earlier this month, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) released its 2004 Employment Outlook report. We should take note of its findings. It pointed out that the US has become richer over the past 30 years than other developed countries, and that this is because Americans work harder. In a list of 19 developed countries included in the study, the US showed the highest increase in working hours of any country, 20 percent. In countries such as France, Germany and Japan, which have not performed as well economically, the report showed a decline in working hours.
Although US productivity per man-hour increased at a higher rate in the 1990s, the increase in working hours is what boosted income. This was the main reason for the US' stronger economic performance.
The industriousness of Americans is reflected not only in the number of hours they work, but also in the proportion of the working-age population that is employed. The average American work week is 34.5 hours, which is close to Japan's, but is much higher than the 28 hours worked by French and Germans. These figures are based on annual working hours, with annual leave factored in. And the US employs 71 percent of its working-age population, which is higher than the OECD average of 65 percent. So we can say that both individually and as a community, the US is notable for its industriousness. This proves an age-old principle: hard work is the road to prosperity.
Hard work has been praised since ancient times. St. Paul told the Thessalonians "If a man will not work, he shall not eat." Hesiod lauded the hardworking farmer in Works and Days and Virgil did much the same with his Georgics. Such calls to hard work became even more influential during the Industrial Revolution.
Samuel Smiles wrote a best-seller called Self-Help which sold 250,000 copies and even counted Charles Darwin among its readers. It also became a best-seller in Japan and Italy, which were both trying to improve their international standing at that time. Smiles, who died 100 years ago this year, emphasized that a strong work ethic is critical to success for both individuals and communities. Only hardworking citizens will develop good laws and find prosperity. Work is not only necessary, it is the basis of all civilization.
This year's OECD report pinpoints the source of US strength and prosperity: its citizens' hard work. In contrast, working hours in Taiwan have been declining over the last decade. To win support from the working class, politicians have agreed to the reduction of working hours. This situation has had a negative impact on both management and labor, not to mention the whole economic environment. The OECD has indicated that the regulation of working hours should be an important part of reforming the labor market. Taiwan should follow America's example.
Lu Shih-xiang is chief executive officer of the Foundation for the Advancement of Media Excellence and is a member of the Taipei Society.
Translated by Ian Bartholomew
A series of strong earthquakes in Hualien County not only caused severe damage in Taiwan, but also revealed that China’s power has permeated everywhere. A Taiwanese woman posted on the Internet that she found clips of the earthquake — which were recorded by the security camera in her home — on the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu. It is spine-chilling that the problem might be because the security camera was manufactured in China. China has widely collected information, infringed upon public privacy and raised information security threats through various social media platforms, as well as telecommunication and security equipment. Several former TikTok employees revealed
The bird flu outbreak at US dairy farms keeps finding alarming new ways to surprise scientists. Last week, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirmed that H5N1 is spreading not just from birds to herds, but among cows. Meanwhile, media reports say that an unknown number of cows are asymptomatic. Although the risk to humans is still low, it is clear that far more work needs to be done to get a handle on the reach of the virus and how it is being transmitted. That would require the USDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to get
For the incoming Administration of President-elect William Lai (賴清德), successfully deterring a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) attack or invasion of democratic Taiwan over his four-year term would be a clear victory. But it could also be a curse, because during those four years the CCP’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) will grow far stronger. As such, increased vigilance in Washington and Taipei will be needed to ensure that already multiplying CCP threat trends don’t overwhelm Taiwan, the United States, and their democratic allies. One CCP attempt to overwhelm was announced on April 19, 2024, namely that the PLA had erred in combining major missions
On April 11, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida delivered a speech at a joint meeting of the US Congress in Washington, in which he said that “China’s current external stance and military actions present an unprecedented and the greatest strategic challenge … to the peace and stability of the international community.” Kishida emphasized Japan’s role as “the US’ closest ally.” “The international order that the US worked for generations to build is facing new challenges,” Kishida said. “I understand it is a heavy burden to carry such hopes on your shoulders,” he said. “Japan is already standing shoulder to shoulder