An audacious argument

Can a case be made for working less?

In his paradigm-challenging 1935 essay, titled In praise of idleness, British philosopher Bertrand Russell wrote: “I want to say, in all seriousness, that a great deal of harm is being done in the modern world by belief in the virtuousness of work, and that the road to happiness and prosperity lies in an organized diminution of work.”

That Russell had to prefix this statement with an assertion of his sincerity speaks volumes for the outlandishness of the case he was making. Over eight decades later such opinions will appear ludicrous to many, but the essential argument remains just as audacious. If happiness and prosperity are what we seek, can the virtuousness of work continue to be taken as the accepted norm?

A contention well worth pondering even though it may be far from the minds of our readers for whom idleness can be an unaffordable luxury. Also, “diminution of work” is virtually impossible for private practice lawyers given that revenue targets are increasingly the norm in India. As our Cover story details, such targets are par for the course in developed jurisdictions, but the structure of the legal market in India is different. Sole proprietorships continue to dominate the landscape, and power within partnerships, which are few and far between, is typically in the hands of founders. As we detail, rainmaking in this environment has its challenges.