How the world of work prevents democracy from happening

In a lot of ways, I am both privileged and empowered by the fact that I am retired–with a job of course- because I have more time on my hands to think and write and write about what others who think write. In a sense, I now have the opportunity to engage myself more fully in citizenship so it is more clear to me than before that the way this society forces people to work a horrendous portion of their living hours at jobs that do not necessarily contribute to the civic good and take away from their lives opportunity to meditate on the meaning life, their own lives and the life going on around them, this depriving them of the right to full citizenship.
What would a society that held democracy above capitalism look like in terms of how people spent time? How would the world of work be constructed if it had to insure that people could live decently while possessing enough time to fully participate in the societal decision making process?
I know the argument that most would not use such time to productive ends and there is a good amount of evidence available to support this point. However, such is the way citizens of this nation are conditioned to be, to serve the work world and then do the kind of things that keep capitalism afloat, things that cost money rather than things like educating themselves and participating in the societal debates. That could be changed IF there was made a move to restructure the institutions of the society so that, for instance, the school system was more about civic involvement and less about job preparation, if those in school were encouraged in activities that involve meaningful decision making, of the kind in which most find delight because their thinking leads to achievement of goals meaningful to themselves, interaction with others in decision making a way to develop meaningful relationship with others, provide fulfillment of desire for friendships.
Not really impossible if there was the will to do so and if the adult would fight for better wages for hours spent at work basing their case on arguments concerning infringement of citizenship caused by the work world as it currently exists, one that is allowed to exist as such because the society has allowed capitalism to dominate over democracy.