Part 4/11:
For previous generations, this increase in productivity meant not only improved living conditions but also a reduction in working hours. From an arduous 12-hour workday in the 1920s to the establishment of mandated vacations and parental leave in the following decades, the trajectory seemed to suggest that work was becoming less burdensome. However, something shifted in the 1970s. Although productivity continued to rise, wages stagnated while working hours did not decrease, leading to a significant disparity in wealth distribution.