Changes in total worktime per unit of free time as a function of economic development

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Falussy, Béla¹ | Boda, György²

Note: [1] Béla Falussy acquired a diploma in cultural sociology at the faculty of arts of the Eötvös Lóránd University of Arts and Sciences in 1973, and has been a lecturer at the same University in social statistics since 1977. He has been dealing with the sociological aspects of ways of life since 1970. He was designer and direct manager of the two time budget surveys conducted by the Hungarian Central Statistical Office. He gained his Ph.D. with a thesis entitled “Social distribution of time” in 1985. He has published several articles in Hungarian in the field of time budget surveys.

Note: [2] György Boda obtained a diploma of economics at the Karl Marx University of Economic Sciences in Budapest in 1973, and was awarded his Ph.D. in 1979. He has been Head of section of Models of National Economy in the Economic Department of the Central Statistical Office since 1984, dealing with input–output tables and problems of foreign trade in the framework of balance systems of the national economy. He is a lecturer at the University of Economic Sciences.

Abstract: There is no automatic equation between economic growth and improving life. In this study, a new socio-statistical indicator based on time budget data is presented. Using this indicator and available international and Hungarian GDP and time budget figures, the relationship between economic development and improved life is quantified and explored, while the authors do not deny the strong correlation between the two phenomena. The main conclusion is that without improving efficiency in standard worktime, total worktime per unit of free time does not decrease sufficiently – this can be seen in Hungary – and economic growth does not improve the quality of life in the long run.

DOI: 10.3233/SJU-1989-6104

Journal: Statistical Journal of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 51-68, 1989