II.

Concepts of Leisure

The word “leisure”, from the Latin licere, means “to be allowed”, or “licenced”. Aristocratic ideas that intellectual activity was superior to daily work tasks emanated from Greek thought. Duties were carried out by slaves while, as we learn from Aristotle, their masters sought higher things through leisure. In medieval commentary, “toil” was regarded as paid time inasmuch as hired labour performed tasks and built things for the satisfaction of others; again, leisure activities provided permitted relief from work. In non-industrial, agrarian societies, work-leisure cycles operate differently. Seasonal rhythms of cropping and stockbreeding demand intensive periods of activity; peasant farmers work under customary pressure, and disciplines of weekly duties may be unknown.