曼昆 – 经济学原理 28
Summary of Chapter 28 – Unemployment
关键词：
labor force: 劳动力
unemployment rate: 失业率
natural rate of unemployment: 自然失业率
cyclical unemployment: 周期失业率
frictional unemployment: 摩擦性失业率
structural unemployment: 结构性失业率
unemployment insurance: 失业金
minimum-wage law: 最低工资标准
union: 工会
collective bargaining: 集体协商
efficiency wages: 效率工资
The labor force is the total number of workers, including both the employed and the unemployed. The unemployment rate is the percentage of those who would like to work and do not have jobs. The unemployment rate is an imperfect measure of joblessness. The normal rate of unemployment around which the unemployment rate fluctuates is called the natural rate of unemployment, and the deviation of unemployment from its natural rate is called cyclical unemployment.
The unemployment that results from the process of matching workers and jobs is called frictional unemployment, which is often thought to be relatively short spells of unemployment. Frictional unemployment is inevitable simply because the economy is always changing. Unemployment insurance, while reducing the hardship of unemployment, increases the amount of frictional unemployment.
The unemployment that results because the number of jobs available in some labor markets is insufficient to provide a job for everyone who wants one is called structural unemployment, which is often thought to explain longer spells of unemployment. This kind of unemployment results when wages are set above the level that brings supply and demand into equilibrium. Three possible reasons for an above-equilibrium wage:
- Minimum-wage law: By raising the wage of unskilled and inexperienced workers above the equilibrium level, minimum-wage laws raise the quantity of labor supplied and reduce the quantity demanded. The resulting resulting surplus of labor represents unemployment.
- Unions: Unions, bargaining collectively with employers over wages, benefits and working conditions, push the wages in unionized industries above the equilibrium level, and create a surplus of labor.
- Efficiency wages: According to the theory of efficiency wages, firms find it profitable to pay wages above the equilibrium level. High wages can improve worker health, lower worker turnover, raise worker quality, and increase worker effort.