'Guy Standing's books have over the years pieced together a necessary political and
intellectual agenda ... His Politics of Time is a splendid and timely addition to this body of
important work' Yanis Varoufakis Time has always been political. Throughout history how we
use our time has been defined and controlled by the powerful and today is no exception. But we
can reclaim control and in this book the pioneering economist Guy Standing shows us how. The
ancient Greeks organised time into five categories: work labour recreation leisure and
contemplation. Labour was onerous whereas leisure was schole and included participation in
public life and lifelong education. Since the industrial revolution our time has been shaped
by capitalism our jobs are supposed to provide all meaning in life our time outside labour is
considered simply 'time off' and politicians prioritise jobs above all other aspects of a good
life. Today we are experiencing the age of chronic uncertainty. Mental illness is on the rise
some people are experiencing more time freedom while many others are having more and more of
their time stolen from them particularly the vulnerable and those in the precariat. But there
is a way forward. We can create a new politics of time one that liberates us and helps save
the planet through strengthening real leisure and working together through commoning. We can
retake control of our time but we must do it together.
