The values associated with the work ethic cause people to be judged by what work they do and how hard they work. The work ethic leads to a belief that those who are wealthy have achieved their success through hard work and those who are poor deserve to be, because they have failed to make the most out of the opportunities that are available. In a work-dominated society, happiness must be earned through hard work. The work ethic and the respect given to the wealthy, who are supposed icons of hard work, is not inherently natural nor inevitable but has been promoted and reinforced by those who benefit most from it, through preaching, propaganda, public relations, education and socialisation. Since the early Protestant leaders preached the work ethic, work has come to be seen as an essential characteristic of being human and work, no matter how tedious it is, is generally considered to be better than no work.
Work provides people with a sense of belonging, a place in the order of things.
Work has become central to defining the identity of modern citizens. Today the work ethic is taught in homes and schools. The desire of employers for well-trained employees with a good work ethic has put pressure on schools to promote a work ethic in their students and to instil work values such as punctuality, discipline and obedience. Increasingly schools parallel the workplace in organisational structure and in their expectation that children work hard. But is the work ethic really appropriate for the 21st Century.