The Right to be Lazy

Abstract

The book “The Right to be Lazy” was written by Paul Lafargue and was first published in 1883. Paul Lafargue was born in Cuba in 1842 and is a French thinker, economist and journalist. Lafargue married Karl Marx's daughter, Laura, and his views were influenced by Marxist ideas. The book titled The Right to be Lazy presents the working spirit, social morality and order of its period to the readers with a descriptive narrative. The author conveys his ideas to the reader with examples and humorous expression. In fact, the author is not against working, but rebels against working hours being far above human conditions. In this book, the author criticizes the sanctification of work and presents a discourse against the Christian morality, economists and free thought ethics of the period.