Bet 78

Duration 68 years (02002-02070)

“By 2070, at least six countries will have officially implemented a 4-day working week.”

PREDICTOR
Christophe Cauvy

CHALLENGER
TBA

Cauvy's Argument

Working less not only induces social, intellectual, and health benefits for individuals and families, but it is also positive for business and society on a whole. Let’s bear in mind that our present capitalist society would look very different had we decided to continue with a 6-day working week. If the weekend was still one-day, think about the reduced importance of the following sectors: tourism, catering, transport, real estate, entertainment, publishing, cinema, and shopping malls… With the emergence of ultra-fast communication means, and the automatisation and robotisation of numerous tasks, productivity continues to increase, therefore allowing less time spent working without jeopardizing the stability of the economy. This gives room for governments and corporations to authorise a substantial decrease in the amount of time spent at work by employees and civil servants. As Western societies tend towards more emphasis on distraction and entertainment, a supplementary weekly day off is a natural, logical, and somewhere inevitable progression. It will be first implemented by a few innovative countries. Gradually, it will gain momentum (hopefully also in third world nations).

Cauvy was challenged to a bet!

Christophe Cauvy is negotiating the terms of a bet about this prediction. It will soon be added to Bets on the Record.