Does anyone know when, where and whose actions acted as a catalyst for the emergence of the weekend, i'm guessing that it occurred somewhere as a result of workers struggle and was offered as a concession by the employers in an attempt to placate them, any ideas?
Sep 7 2004 18:59
Sep 7 2004 20:01
Hmm i think random's arguement makes sense... and maybe religion had some part to play in it?
Sep 7 2004 23:42
cleaver talks about it in reading capital politically.. think it was about the 19th century somewhere, yeah won by workers' struggles
Sep 8 2004 01:21
The Sabbath, yo! That's where the notion of a day (or two) of rest originates from.
But the weekend, as we (hopefully) enjoy it today, was won through industrial struggle a century or two ago.
Sep 8 2004 09:27
Do other religions have a similar "rest day" concept?
Sep 8 2004 11:21
Yup i think they all do.....
Sep 8 2004 13:46
bookchin claims rest days are brought about by by slave rebellions and later co-opted by religion. But i guess until you have a regular (regulated) working week with the industrial revolution i supose it wouldn't really resemble the modern weekend all that much. There was stuff like 'saints mondays'- unofficial extensions of the time off in early industrail england. E P thompsons time, work-discipline and industrial captialism is quite good on that.
Sep 8 2004 14:59
I seem to remember reading that Jewish workers in pre-industrial Europe were the ones most insistant on a day off. It seems perfectly plausible that the day of rest may have predated religion, though, and been co-opted by it (as you say). I'll search for a reference.
Sep 8 2004 16:02
There was something mention on CITV programme last week on "How2" programme about the orgins of the seven day week. They say it originated from China and, spread westwards and then adopted by the Romans etc, etc.
I did try to look it up on the How 2 website to give you a better picture but they must have the most lameness' website ever conceive!
How for Now.
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or maybe it was the other way around and we're slowly creeping towards a seven day working week.