Should Kids Be Put to Work?

I recently read a parenting article, the premise was that children should be given an allowance and it should not be tied to chores or work, since doing so creates another parent/child power struggle. The author felt that being responsible for money should be its own learning experience.

This week’s discussion is working children/teens. Do your kids get an allowance and, if so, is it tied to chores/housework of some sort?  If you have a teenager, do you allow him/her to work?  What constraints do you put on that?

I’ve worked at various jobs since I was 13 (babysitting, then when I got my working papers, more formal work). I always thought that teens should work, until a former co-worker said to me, “My girls all got a lot of scholarship money due to their academics. Their work is/was school.  They save me more by doing well at school, then they could ever earn at a part-time job."  I'm not sure if teens working is all about the money—much of it is about the experience. I'm on the fence regarding working teens.

Right now, I will have my daughters do chores and will base their allowances on doing them, since I believe understanding money necessitates earning it first.

Should kids’ allowances be based on chores?  And, at what age do you think kids should work and what constraints do you put on that?