Americans spend almost 50 percent more time in paid employment than do Western Europeans. This gap in work time emerged in the 1970s and has grown to dramatic levels in recent decades. What factors cause this large discrepancy in lifestyles? To what extent can this be explained by differences in taxes and government spending, unionization rates, the stringency of employment protection laws, and other labor market regulations?

Please join us as AEI visiting scholar Steven J. Davis and Professor Alberto Alesina of Harvard University discuss and debate these issues. AEI resident scholar Kevin A. Hassett will moderate the discussion.