Paul Lafargue 
The Right to Be Lazy, and Other Studies 

The Right to be Lazy is an essay by French revolutionary Marxist Paul Lafargue. It presents a controversial debate and criticizes against then-fashionable liberal, conservative, Christian and even socialist concepts of labor.

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Paul Lafargue (1842–1911) was a French socialist writer, intellectual, and political activist of Cuban and Creole descent, best known for his work ‘The Right to Be Lazy, and Other Studies’ (1883). A son-in-law of Karl Marx, Lafargue was a prominent figure in the working-class movement, combining Marxism with French radical traditions. Lafargue’s seminal text ‘The Right to Be Lazy’ is a critique of the capitalist work ethic, advocating for workers’ rights to leisure and a reduction in working hours, which he saw as essential for their social, physical, and mental well-being. His writing was characterized by its satirical edge and its revolutionary fervor, which was informed by his lifelong commitment to socialist politics, including founding the French Workers’ Party and contributing to various socialist publications. Lafargue’s contributions to political thought and his role in advocating for labor rights have cemented his place in the history of socialist literature. His work not only critiqued the economic structure of capitalism but also offered a radical rethinking of the values that underpinned industrial society at the time. Lafargue’s literary style and his categorical defense of the proletariat continue to influence discussions on work, leisure, and social justice.