Booman Tribune

The US has a "real" unemployment rate of 13.3%

by Colman
Thu Jun 15th, 2006 at 08:14:03 AM EST

This (European) morning, Jérôme did a story on Eurotrib about a report from the McKinsey Global Institute think-tank that the FT had covered with the headline 'Real Swedish jobless rate 15%'. So much for the vaunted Scandinavian model, eh?

The report contains this lovely graphic, displaying the breakdown of what they call the Swedish de-facto unemployment.

I think this is a great graphic, and not one I've seen before: they break down the factors of unemployment and underemployment and display them.

In fact, I like it so much I made a similar one for the US:

I'm not sure that the McKinsey Global Institute or the FT would be quite so happy to see that breakdown. Explanation after the fold...

The first three columns of my graph correspond to the latent job candiates and underemployed in the MGI graph.

As explained in my previous ET story on the topic I've included figures for the massive US prison population and the massive size of its military forces on the basis that both predominantly move people that would be otherwise unemployed out of the labour force. Think of them - however unfairly - as the equivalent of "government programmes".

The figure for people unemployed through disability is calculated from the US census figures, which give 11.5 people with an "employment disability" - that makes work difficult or impossible - and an unemployment rate of 40% for all disabled people. Since I can't find out the unemployment rate for those with employment disabilities directly I've averaged the case where none of them work and the case where 60% of them work. It's an estimate.

I'm not just being mean here: the MGI's analysis is excellent and gives a good impression of the unemployment situation in Sweden. However, neither they nor the FT draw attention to the fact that this analysis can be done for other countries: I've picked on the US here because the statistics are easily available on-line.



Display:
I know it's appallingly geeky, but the story of US unemployment is much more complicated than is normally admitted.
by Colman on Thu Jun 15th, 2006 at 08:15:32 AM EST
Cross-posted to the orange place for recommends.
by Colman on Thu Jun 15th, 2006 at 08:22:26 AM EST
Beware, Colman. I posted a little diary a few months back at the orange place stating that the US's 'real' unemployment rate was much higher than the government's fudged numbers. I was immediately and mercilessly skewered by the diary police over there. They don't want to hear this stuff.

On the other hand, I think this is a great post... thank you for posting it here! I will go over and recommend. Perhaps your reputation will protect you from the blind vultures.
by Nag on Thu Jun 15th, 2006 at 08:34:04 AM EST
The diary police don't scare me...
by Colman on Thu Jun 15th, 2006 at 08:36:37 AM EST
[ Parent ]
The government numbers aren't fudged really. They just don't show the whole story.
by Colman on Thu Jun 15th, 2006 at 08:40:06 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Call them fudged or politely call them incomplete... the point is that the result presented to the American people is incorrect and I'm glad to see your post loudly announcing that fact.

I admire that you are unafraid of the diary police. They make discussion on many topics difficult if not impossible. I guess SOMEONE has to keep trying.
by Nag on Thu Jun 15th, 2006 at 09:02:49 AM EST
[ Parent ]
The numbers aren't fudged, nor are they incomplete: the BLS produces all the way up to U-6 every month and the census produces the disability figures.

The problem is that the debate on the numbers is entirely superficial, fudged and incomplete and hides the real issues of under- and unemployment.

by Colman on Thu Jun 15th, 2006 at 09:14:48 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Employment in 2002 was estimated at a little over 56%. Disabilities Employment
by Kidspeak on Thu Jun 15th, 2006 at 09:56:00 AM EST
[ Parent ]
So it could be worse than I indicate.
by Colman on Thu Jun 15th, 2006 at 10:10:50 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Watcha talking about?!  Jobless claims are down!

And the economy is booooooming!

--
Albert Yee
Philadelphia, PA
http://dragonballyee.com/blog

by albert (dragonballyeeATgmail.com) on Thu Jun 15th, 2006 at 11:24:26 AM EST


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