In recent years, theorists have contended that we should move to a mode of social organisation where work and the values attached to it are no longer central, a ‘post-work society’. For these theorists, the modern ideology of work is intrinsically unjust, even irrational and no longer suited to the challenges of our time. The article presents an alternative response to the problems of work and employment. Rather than moving to a ‘post-work’ society, the article argues that we should transform the world of work, precisely by keeping in view why working is important to individuals and the community. In fact, it is not realistic to believe that human societies could ever do without work. Because human societies are by necessity work societies, and work, if organised correctly, entails many goods, we cannot really, and we should not, wish work away.

近年来，理论家争辩说，我们应该转向一种社会组织模式，在这种模式下，工作和与之相关的价值观不再是中心，即“后工作社会”。对于这些理论家来说，现代的工作意识形态本质上是不公正的，甚至是非理性的，并且不再适应我们时代的挑战。本文提出了对工作和就业问题的另一种应对方法。本文认为，与其转向“后工作”社会，不如说我们应该改变工作世界，而正是要考虑到为什么工作对个人和社区很重要。实际上，认为人类社会永远都可以没有工作是不现实的。因为人类社会必然是工作社会，而工作，如果组织得当，会带来很多财富，我们就不能，而且我们不应该希望工作消失。