Unemployment and the Great Recession

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The largest cause of unemployment can be attributed to recession. The term recession refers to the backward movement of the economy for a long period. People spend only when they have to. (Nagle 2009). With people spending less there would be less money in circulation therefore, enterprises would suffer financially and people would suffer too. This is so because recession reduces the fiscal bases of enterprises, forcing these enterprises to reduce their workforce through layoffs. These enterprises lay off their workers in order to cut the costs they incur in terms of wage and salary payments.

However, this move is not always a wise one because when an enterprise has fewer workers it would reduce its productivity which would mean more financial problems. Besides it strains the workforce. If these corporations continue incurring losses they eventually close down and as a result, the workforce loses jobs. This is what has been going on since December 2007. Unemployment is one of the biggest problems that governments have to deal with. (compston 2002).

The end of the year 2007 marked the beginning of the great recession. When recession began about 4.9 % of the population had no jobs. Over the years, increase in youth unemployment has been on an increase. By the end of 2008, the worst impacts of recession were eminent. During that year, about 2.6 million people were rendered jobless. This was recorded as the worst hit year in more than 60 years. More than half a million jobs were lost by the end of 2008. In 2009 the rate of unemployment rose to 7%.By last year, the rate had grown to 9.8%. Nevada used to be the best state financially. However, at the moment its unemployment is rated at 14%.

By the year 2010 there were about si...

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...he range of options that one can have. Instead of looking for jobs in other enterprises, one should consider self employment. One can never lack something constructive and financially profitable if he or she looks hard enough. Savings may also help during rainy days.

Recessions would always be there. It is how best governments, businesses and the people are prepared for them that matters.

Works Cited

Compston Hugh. 2002. The New Politics of Unemployment: radical policy initiatives in Western Europe. Routledge.

Heide shierholz. April 2, 2010. www.epi.org/publications/entry/jobs_picture_20100402/

Nagle M. Jeanne. 2009. How a Recession Works. The Rosen Publishing Group.

Periton Paul, Adams Steve. 2007. CIM Learning System Fundamentals of Business Economics. Butterworth-Heinemann.

Webster O. yehudi. 1993. The Raciarization of America. Palgrave Macmillan.

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