3 Comments
User's avatar
M Flood's avatar

Good analysis. The marginal utility of +x% extra income in low to middle-income countries is definitely larger than in high-income countries. There likely are also different cultural valuations to pursuing leisure when you're not well off. I don't know whether "slacker" translates cleanly into Gujarati or Bantu.

Expand full comment
Thomas L. Hutcheson's avatar

My Google Translate says Alasi in Punjabi

Expand full comment
JustAnOgre's avatar

> that encourages rather than even marginally discourages employment

What is the ideal amount of employment? Surely not infinite. Long time 0 hours worked is likely bad, short time fine (think sabbatical), but if we are talking about 35 vs 45 hours per week, I am on the side of 35 hours.

Expand full comment