> The Greeks work the longest hours in Europe but anybody who has been to Germany and Greece would probably tell you that the Germans probably work harder. I'v

> The Greeks work the longest hours in Europe but anybody who has been to Germany and Greece would probably tell you that the Germans probably work harder. I've been to Germany and Greece, and I don't really concur. Germany is rich, so more people can afford to work part time or at least reasonable hours. Time off is a luxury, it's just a fact of life that the poor have to work longer hours than the rich. The average productivity has more to do with money than with how hard people are working. Someone who sells a $1Bn credit default swap deal with a few mouse clicks is far more productive than someone who spends 16 hour work days digging a trench with a shovel, but which of the two is working harder?