William Morris Quotes
It is right and necessary that all should have work to do which shall be worth doing and be of itself pleasant to do, and which should be done under such conditions as would make it neither over-wearisome nor over-anxious.
Morris, William. "Art and Socialism." Architecture, Industry & Wealth: Collected Papers by William Morris, Longmans, Green, and Co., 1902, p. 115.
At the time, 10 and 12 hour work days were common throughout the country and a movement had started to shorten the work day by legislation. Overtime payment over 8 hours was the eventual solution.
Note that her concept of a good job does not include a specific amount of compensation. Her definition requires whatever compensation it takes to have a reasonable standard of living. Businesses , economists and lawmakers have never been able to define that so they always revert to a sum of money which presumabley will buy this, but as Martin observed, sometimes id may and sometimes it may not. Food Stamps, indexed minimum wages have all been attempts to deal this this problem.
He did not comment on why women who work overtime and outdoors or nights and weekends on risky jobs make less than the males who do the same.
William Morris was a British textile designer, poet, novelist, translator and socialist activist associated with the British Arts and Crafts Movement. He was a major contributor to the revival of traditional British textile arts and methods of production. His literary contributions helped to establish the modern fantasy genre, while he helped win acceptance of socialism in fin de siècle Great Britain.
