If you want to work 60 hours a week at the minimum wage to (eventually) afford a BMW, please do! I'd rather work 30 hours and ride my bike.

But who am I to say you are doing the wrong thing and I am doing the right? It's a matter of preferences. Some people value income over leisure, and some do the opposite. Let people decide this for themselves.

The ironic thing here is that I think that you've misinterpreted the social conditioning of preferences with individual choice.  

In one word.  

Lagom

Is your preference for leisure over seeking further material gains the result of the rational calculation of utitilies to choose the option providing the greatest utility, or is this socially conditioned, such that the formal organization of work by law is unneccesary because social norms condtion preferences to an extent that it's unneccesary?

And I'll give my consent to any government that does not deny a man a living wage-Billy Bragg

It's just that you can't be an employee of some corporation if you want to work more than 48 hours per week (or some other limit depending on the country).

Just offer your work as a contractor on a per job basis and there is no regulation in the total hours worked.

So you can get your BMW, even in France.