working day, n.All

The Working day (n.) can ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠be shorter and more exploited: ten English hours may hold more surplus value than fourteen Austrian ones.

The Working day (n.) prolonged ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠is modern industry's discovery, more surplus labour appropriated without basically altering the ratio of labour-power to the constant capital it sets in motion.

The Working day (n.) gets ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠longer because machines are expensive: the costlier the fixed capital, the more it pays to keep it — and the workers — running.

The Working day (n.) shortened ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠is the basic prerequisite of freedom: the true realm of freedom, human powers developed as an end in themselves, can flourish only on necessity as its base.

The Working day (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠where the real connection still shows: the fierce struggle over its limits keeps the capitalist conscious that he pumps out surplus labour.