Or, not.
Sadly, it’s not quite as simple as that.
Greeks are working longer and harder than anyone else in Europe. But they’re still producing less than many other nations who are working a lot less hard. The OECD suggest that this is due to the shape of the Greek labour market:
Pascal Marianna, who is a labour markets statistician at the OECD says: “The Greek labour market is composed of a large number of people who are self-employed, meaning farmers and – on the other hand – shop-keepers who are working long hours.”
Still, I think it’s high time we put the lazy Greek myth to bed, because the evidence just doesn’t support it.
