Lumps of Labor: "Sure enough, the lump-of-labor fallacy has resurfaced in the United States — but with a twist. Traditionally, it is a fallacy of the economically naïve left — for example, four years ago France's Socialist government tried to create more jobs by reducing the length of the workweek. "

Even Krugman stoops to Bubba-isms sometimes. As usual, it's very easy in the US press to criticize France using a specious argument. One of the great social advances in France, the 35-hour work week, may appear to be based solely on "naïve" economics, but it really addressed a large number of points. Let's face the facts: an employer who wants to limit the number of salaried employees can require them to work longer and longer hours unless limited by the law. Somewhere there must be a limit, but don't expect laissez-faire capitalism to self-impose this limit.