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As world economies grew more productive, largely through technological advances realized during the industrial revolution, the quality of life improved for just about everyone, and less hours were required to produce more goods. As a result, people were able to reduce the time they spent working. The two-day weekend was born!
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My BS meter just went off the chart there. The industrial revolution didn't improve the quality of life for everyone, only the rich had their quality of life improved. Meanwhile the rest of the population was forced to work long hours in factories for little pay and live in crowded tenaments. You think that unions were formed because all of the workers were living in plush apartments thinking of ways to steal their employers money? No, unions were formed because people wanted to be payed enough so that their kids could eat and go to school.
Increased productivity does mean a better quality of life on behalf of the working class. When companies can produce more per worker, know what they do? They stop hiring workers. They don't pass the savings on down the line, they pocket it and pay the workers enough so that they don't die.