| Summary: | The aim of this article is to show the development of the perception of leisure and work or their ideal in different stages of human history, focusing primarily on the situation in so-called Western culture. At first, the text introduces how philosophers of ancient Greece and Rome, especially Aristotle, approached work and leisure, then draws attention to how the perception of leisure and work developed with the rise of Christianity, how leisure and work were approached in the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, or how the Utopians looked at work and especially leisure. Luther and Calvin also played a significant role in the perception of leisure and work. Although the religious foundation later retreated, Protestant work ethics becomes the spirit of capitalism. After World War II, theories of a leisure society were introduced, but have not been fulfilled. Recent discussions often involve work-life balance including leisure.
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