Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford When Stalin Killed the Weekend (with The Happiness Lab)
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Dec 22, 2023 
Dr. Laurie Santos, a Yale psychology professor and host of 'The Happiness Lab,' joins the conversation to explore Stalin's drastic changes to work and leisure in the Soviet Union. They discuss how eliminating shared days off impacted happiness and social dynamics. The importance of leisure is emphasized, connecting holiday traditions to mental health and social well-being. Santos shares insights on the surprising benefits of time off, drawing parallels between historical policies and modern work-life balance, crucial for fostering happiness today.
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St. Lubbock's Day Riots
- Tim Harford tells the story of St. Lubbock's Day, a UK holiday created for workers.
- Teenage riots in 1964 sparked fears of societal collapse, though calm returned quickly.
Stalin Kills the Weekend
- In 1929, the Soviet Union, under Stalin, abolished the traditional weekend.
- They implemented the 'Niprevka' system, assigning workers different rest days to maximize factory output.
We-Time
- While rest is crucial, shared rest time is equally important for social activities.
- 'Niprevka' highlighted the value of 'we-time,' showing the downsides of desynchronized leisure.
