Justice for Grasshoppers

This dissertation engages with the question of how much access to free time citizens should enjoy in a just society. A sophisticated liberal egalitarian approach holds that social justice requires protecting at least the freedom to work no more than 8 hours per day. It is unclear whether this approach supports more radical expansions of access to free time, such as the institution of a 4-day work week, a 6-hours work day, or a right to periodic sabbatical leave. Those who support these more radical demands often appeal to controversial perfectionist ideas about the importance of free time for human flourishing to justify their position. This dissertation rejects these perfectionist justifications and explains why those committed to political liberalism can get on board with more radical demands, such as the 4-day work week. Chapter 1 explains why existing approaches to social justice don’t offer satisfactory answers to the question of how much access to free time citizens should enjoy. Chapters 2 and 3 explain that some policies to expand opportunities for free time are justifiable on the grounds that they help address morally objectionable collective action problems in the labour market. Chapter 4 lays out a feminist case for improved access to part-time employment. Chapter 5 explains that policies that expand access to free time for middle-aged persons are necessary to address an unfairness in access to free time at different life-stages. Taken together, these considerations make a strong case for policies that aim at expanding access to free time.