Unemployment In America Essay

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Every year in the United States the issue of unemployment is heavily discussed. It is the source of much debate and its proposed solutions draw a divide among the people. In the United States the unemployment rate is continuously one of the main topics discussed throughout an election year. Presidents are voted in or not partly based on their opinions on how to deal with putting people back to work. The reason for its importance is clear. If handled incorrectly, the ensuing problems can be detrimental to the economic state of the country. Those who cannot work collect monetary unemployment benefits that are often much less than what that individual would make if they were working (Unemployment Compensation Overview 4). Unemployment …show more content…

Its effects are far greater in a large scale economy like that of the United States of America. If people are unemployed they are no longer producing products and offering services. The collective effect of this decrease in output leads to a significant decrease in the GDP of a country. In a country like the United States, where the output is in the trillions, a few percent decrease is equivalent to losing the total economic output of some other smaller nations. The impact of unemployment on the individual is substantial. If a family's main or only breadwinner is out of work for an extended period can deplete their savings and leave them all in debt. It makes life more difficult and can even lead to health issues. The increased stress brought on by being unable to maintain a previous way of life or unable to pay bills takes a toll on the body and can even lead to psychological …show more content…

A decreased job availability leads to higher divorce rates and family divisions. If there is not enough money to support the spouse and children then some people feel they have no other choice but to go their separate ways. Socioeconomic problems are much more prevalent in areas of low income and high unemployment. Areas containing residents that are out of business and have been for a prolonged period have a sharp increase in crime when compared to those that are more stable. In a particular study researchers found that a 20% decline in wages for men resulted in a 10.8% increase in property crimes and a 21.6% increase in violent crimes. Violence and theft increase because people are getting desperate. If people are busy working they do not have time to go out and cause problems; they have no need to steal or create confrontations with their neighbors. It is not only the United States where this trend is observed. If we expand our view beyond America's inner cities and take a look around the developing world much of the turbulence is caused by and linked to regions of low economic prosperity. A state of unemployment and lack of money lay the foundation for many of the world's major problems. Giving those who are out of work more money does not fix those problems in a suffering economy. It only makes it more difficult for them to get back to work, the longer they have been

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