Quality of life faced with income level: the evolution of the labour market and the leisure industries in Spain

Abstract

In this article we discuss the effects that the emergence of the new post-industrial form of flexible capitalist organization has on the Spanish labor market, leaving unrealized the «end of work» and the expected civilization of leisure. Focusing on Spain, it is shown that the new situation brings a growing duality in the labor market, where individuals who cannot escape casual employment coexist with those enjoying long term contracts. In addition, we highlight several circumstances that illustrate a decay in job quality and working conditions, particularly the increase in working hours. Parallel to this process, we identify a work and spend behavior, resulting in overspent citizens that exhibit financial fragility and give up quality of life for higher living standards. Free time from work has also become a scarce resource in Spain, and for those individuals belonging to what is know as the «new leisure class», it is associated to high spending in leisure goods and services, which has increased the economic importance of leisure industries.