Unemployment

How has it changed over the last 10 years?

7.1% unemployment rate (BBC, 2014)
5.6% in 2004 (Macro Trends)
What is the current situation?
Gender
Male 7.6% (ONS, 2014)
Female 6.8 (ONS, 2014)
Age
16-24 18% (ONS, 2014)
Ethnicity
White 5.6%
Indian 7.1%
Chinese 7.3%
Black -12.4% (Guardian, 2014)
What are the social effects of unemployment?
The Effects on Society
Sinfield (1981)
Unemployment devalues/ debases the standard/ quality of life.
There are 4 ways:
Even those still in work feel less secure and may have standard of living
threatened
The workforce becomes less willing to leave unsatisfying work this will
increase the number of alienated workers.
Divisions in society may become larger. E.g. immigrants/ethnic groups may
be blamed increasing racial tensions.
High unemployment gives employers less incentive to employ certain social
groups. (Equal opportunities less likely to be achieved).
Lea & Young (1984)
Unemployment of the young leads to the marginalisation of some members of
society this creates a subculture of despair in some inner-city areas.
Unemployment threatens stability of society causing racial tension/crime.
Economic Costs
NHS will require more expenditure to help the unemployed ill.
Maclnnes (1987) govt. need to increase expenditure on benefits and they also
lose tax revenue.
Allen & Watson (1986).
There is a complex of interrelated factors which go beyond any singular factors.

The unemployed lose more than money when losing their job.
Work provides a sense of identity source of relationship outside the family;
unemployment reduces social contacts.
Work provides obligatory activity work provides a framework for regular,
purposeful activity.
Work structures psychological time even if men spent more time in bed,
however their sleep was restless.
Work provides a sense of purpose. An opportunity to develop skills and
creativity. E.g Im surplus to requirement.
Income provides freedom and control outside work provides the income to
engage in leisure activities.
Lampart (1994)
Unemployed are 70% more likely to break up a marriage during 12 month period.
Jahoda Deprivation Theory of Unemployment.
Research in Marienthal, Austria (1933).
Opportunities to make a legal living were minimal.
Three quarters of families relied on unemployment benefit.
The most obvious effect was financial.
The desperation was so bad that when a dog/cat disappeared the loss
was not reported (it was assumed to be eaten).
There was a decline in social activities
Unemployed did not attend the library or borrow books (despite removing
borrowing charges).
They lost confidence and sense of shame led to withdrawing from social
interaction.
Budget & Relationships.
Those on income, average just one quarter of normal wages careful budgeting
vital.
Men and Women impacted differently:
Men - the division of the day lost all meaning . They wasted time doing
virtually nothing most never wore a watch. Men lost their time structure
(only based on physical needs).
Women were busy running the household (domestic duties).There was
marital conflict due to the lack of punctuality.
The Response
There was a feeling of resignation an absence of long term plans.
There was an initial feeling of shock, followed by optimism (loads of job
applications).
Optimism turned to pessimism resilience faded into apathy.
Many suffered from health problems sometimes resulting in suicide.
70% of families were resigned.
7% were broken.

Unemplyment was a debilitating process economically, socially and

psychologically.

Effects
Basic assumption is the obvious function of work is economic. However, it
also offers unintended/hidden function time structure, social contact,
collective purpose, identity and regular activity.
Work is the best provider of a sense of well being in modern society. Trade
unions and religious organisations cannot compensate for its functions.
Unemployment threatens economic survival, ones identity and even ones
life.
Different groups experience the deprivation with different levels of intensity.
179 Class.
181 Age.
184 Gender.
Pick what says Ashton.
9 bullet points.