Re: Full Employment is what?

[Bruce McFarling <ecbm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Tue, 29 May 2001 09:29:56 +0200, Sven R Larson
<larson@xxxxxx> wrote,

> ...
>Drawing on European experience I can say that ELR programs tend to
>encourage tougher welfare policies; welfare policy becomes workfare
>policy. The concept of full employment over here has more or less
>lost its meaning both to workfare-prone politicians and to those
>who go in and out of workfare programs.

Workfare is: "We have the right to withhold welfare payments,
so we are going to demand that you do some work"  "We" are
the "get tough on welfare bludgers" politicos.

ELR is: "We cannot find a job and we demand that you fulfill
your guarantee and provide one."  "We" are people who do
not find a job available in the private sector.

Under workfare, they aren't jobs at wages, but just an
additional requirement to hold onto existing welfare
entitlements.

Under ELR, a new entitlement is created.

Where workfare is tied to *unemployment* benefits, then
ELR eliminates the workfare by eliminating the need for
the unemployment benefits.  At least wherever unemployment
benefits are tied to looking for an failing to find a job,
the "failing to find a job" part would be eliminated.



--
Dr. Bruce R. McFarling, PhD
Bus. Office 1.72 -- (02) 4348-4078
School of Business
Faculty of the Central Coast
Newcastle University, Ourimbah