WHY UNEMPLOYMENT CANNOT DROP Richard Andre
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.. Under the present conditions of civilization.
Les Éditions électroniques Richard ANDRÉ
WHY UNEMPLOYMENT CANNOT DROP ... Under the present conditions of civilization.
All our apologize for this non professional translation of the French article : « POURQUOI LE CHOMAGE NE PEUT BAISSER » of Richard ANDRÉ. The genuine text is on Scribd1. We hope this reflexion may be usefull for many other country and that the translation may help.
Why
unemployment cannot drop ? We should add : in present conditions of civilization. It is the nagging question that everyone is asking ... or do not arise really! This analysis does not lead to a pessimistic view of today's world, but rather on encouraging prospects for work culture in the XXIth century. This way of seeing the unemployed and unemployment than other proposed leith obsessive pattern expected by today's society allow to emerge above the thick fog which bathes the question.
No political action seems able to overcome the unemployment. Ebbing somewhat, he is back as a huge " Sea Serpent " for over 30 years! Economic theories are powerless to offer and effective lighting solutions. Polical people foresee the world is in a total revolution ; they have more or less the inspiration a required change our habits and our greed. But they are taken back by mechanistic economic nosolutions ... However two recent major disasters in particular urge us to think. The first was this tragedy and psychodrama triggered by a handful of fundamentalists against the economic power of the United States by crashing into the twin towers of New York. America questioned itself - a few minutes - on its own responsibility. Listeners on 1
http://www.scribd.com/doc/43116794/POURQUOI-LE-CHOMAGE-NE-PEUT-BAISSER Or type the title in Scribd search.
radio and watchers on TV who pay attention to interviews and comments at that time, remember. But how many have forgot? ... And soon, a wall of silence fell over the conscience. The scapegoat hunt began ... and is not finished. There is no reason to excuse the fanatics any more than to accuse them unilaterally. In any tragedy there are always two sides. It’s important to understand the relative contribution of each, to avoid thinking in a manichéenne way. The second is the economic crisis resulting from a financial crash in 2007. This should raise awareness to the public, dramatically, the power of finance and disasters that can immediately induce the entire planet. But does public opinion question throughout the ALL chain of responsibilities? This channel from a handful of predators masked, financiers, bankers and policians that have left to do, and even greedy behavior of unconscious consumers. The responsibility is collective, to varying degrees. Returning for a moment on the curve of the unemployed. We do not write unemployment but unemployed people, we should note. This curve tells us better than long explanation.
A QUARTER CENTURY OF UNEMPLOYMENT AND MORE ... UNDERSTAND WHY? The three levels of understanding: 1 - Level : "material", "external", "mechanistic". 2 – Level : "emotional", "internal", "motivational ". 3 – Level : "enlightened," "historical", "civilizational". UNEMPLOYMENT DOWN WHEN ... The major factor.
A QUARTER CENTURY OF UNEMPLOYMENT AND MORE ... Let us first quick look on the statistics. This first curve was published in 2000 in the book UNEMPLOYED : WHY? (CHÔMEUR : POURQUOI ?2). We wrote then that the decline in unemployment was unlikely. Ten years later, the trend is unfortunately not denied! Since about 30 years, the number of unemployed in France oscillate around 2500 000. Abroad, more or less similar curves reflect the context of each country 3. Regardless, on the other hand, all subtleties of counting, the inclusion or not of the unemployed not identified, and those precarious situations, or those of extreme poverty: is the collective consciousness that retains the order of magnitude and this persistence ... And it is this public opinion not only French, but worldwide that works on all socioprofessional actors by requesting a "change”.
2
For more detail on this curve, refer to the work in french CHÔMEURS : POURQUOI ? Des Artisans de la Civilisation qui s’ignorent. Cf. link at the end. 3
See figures of INSEE
http://www.insee.fr/fr/themes/tableau.asp?reg_id=98&ref_id=CMPTEF03309
Statistics in France :
TEN YEARS LATER ... 2000-2010 : persistence of the "sea serpent" of unemployment!
It is unlikely that this curve is inverted as in miracle in the time ahead, while the solutions were applied without success for decades. So, why this mass of unemployed can be absorbed and find work?
UNDERSTAND WHY? Let’s try to distinguish the three levels of understanding of the mechanisms of the cause and effect of phenomenon, depending on whether one is interested in: unemployement, unemployed individuals, or historical design of the Civilization. It is important not to confuse, under penalty of having a simplistic view which also leads to reduced solutions which have so far proved ineffective. First, there is a level "material", "external", "mechanistic". This is the domain of short-term relative. The explanations are: external, conceptual, academic ... This level can concern policies of reduction of unemployment and " return to full employment4". Then there is a level "emotional", "internal", "motivational" of unemployment. This is the area of the middle term. The explantions are from within, experimental, psychological. It may involve the social treatment of unemployment, according to the expression devoted (not « unemployed !), but it is subject of a big misunderstanding. This is the level where one could act more broadly ... Finally, in a metaphysical perspective of Civilization to come, there is the level "enlightened", "historic", "civilizational". This is the area of long and very long term. It seems that the specific twentieth and twenty-first century unemployment enrolled particularly in this third perspective. Now let us try to understand how the three levels of analysis are complementary and inseparable? Why the measures on one level fail... apparently ?
1 - level "material", "external", "mechanistic". "Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to equitable and satisfactory conditions of work and protection against unemployment. " Universal Declaration of Human Rights, art. 23, 1948
The role of economists is predominant in this area. Unemployment is husked in many ways, establishing types of unemployed people, types of unemployment. ... in which citizen is lost. Theories are set out, trying to find causal links various economic parameters on unemployment and full employment as: • Removal of capitalism and wage labor5 • Competition / Wages flexible or stranded 6 4 5 6
Concept which may vary from 80 000 to 900 000 people, from 1950 to 2000, in France ! Marx néoclassique model ; Jacques Rueff, … …
• Production / Demand / Consumption / Investment 7 • Productivity 8 • Arbitration: unemployment / inflation 9 • Consumption new / Consumption old 10 • Automation and computerization 11 (and its attendant myths ...) • Unfair competition 12 (you can see the point looking for a scapegoat! ...) • Unemployment insurance 13 (you can see the point looking for another scapegoat! ...) • Lower taxes / increase government spending. • etc ... The citizen has the ears broken by all these "explanations "... But what does he really understand ? These theories, sometimes contradictory, are as "plated" on a painful reality, and are no longer credible in the long run. Hope springs a moment when a leader charismatic enough announces measures to the return to "full employment", but all these theories certainly relevant and ponctually right if not checked, do not they feed the skepticism and defeatism? ... But it is a characteristic of the old civilization to be rolled by the « economist » speech. If we abstain, rotting of old habits may be slower ! Moreover, the economy and finance are so fluid that a crisis resolved, another of a different nature, just mess up measures policies taken earlier to reduce unemployment. The curious reader can always lean deeply in the many books dealing with these theories of unemployment, but what does emerge in final? Will he act personally? Does it lead to certainties or an intellectual impasse? ... Each one to make experience if they wish! But he should not forget that many specialists sincerely devoted themselves to this approach without further find the exit. Among all these parameters, perhaps the experts they missed one MAJOR FACTOR? We'll talk in the third level of analysis below. On the other hand, watching out all these theories, a human element is the foundation of all: GREED. The greed of consumers ; the greed of employees; the greed of entrepreneurs : the greed of elected people... And these are antagonistic greed as everyone knows, because the natural selfishness of human-animal nature. In addition, the game is distorted by financial people - not all – who "vampirise" money only by their CUPIDITY. Pointing of these factors of greed and cupidity does not proceed a moral jugement, but a pragmatic analysis of engines of evolution of nations, until they are replaced by other, more healthy. But the theories do not seek to play on this human element in introducing an element of ethics, much more than mere morality, but just change a setting or two to act on unemployment. However, neither economists nor politicians are clever enough jugglers to keep the overall balance! ... This not contradictory with the political need to act, because failure is instructive and a source of progress. 7 8 9
Keynes… salaire d'efficience, new keynésiens… William Phillips, Paul Samuelson et Robert Solow…
10
Alfred Sauvy (thèse of « déversement ») …
11
Jeremy Rifkin, …
12
of countries, Paul Krugman à bas salaires
13
cause of permanent unemployement, Jacques Rueff…
It is therefore evident that the free choice of employment, equitable and satisfactory conditions of work and protection against unemployment of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights cited in stressed, are not fulfilled in our dying civilization. The economic explanations for this have created the disbelief of masses and the despair of economic and political leaders. When economic experts will reach a more synthetic vue of these various parameters, greater efficiency may result. Most importantly, when they integrate best the two following levels of analysis, the perception of unemployment as simple "adjustment variable" will be completely reformed. They reach a more humane ethic and "metaphysics" that will revolutionize certainly this science still beggining.
2 – Level : "emotional", "internal", "motivational". Focusing on the conceptual parameters of unemployment quickly makes lose sight of the fact that there are living beings and suffering, caught in the dilemma of a historical crisis. Not only the unemployed but also non-unemployed, because there is a shared responsibility — non-obvious and not perceived by public opinion - in this drama. A system producing "factories for discourage". The job loss produces a devaluation of the individual that the unemployed can not truly understand otherwise intellectually. Removitating is not easy and quick. It takes time to be rebuilt. Yet those who have responsibility of the social treatment of unemployed persons (not to mention the unemployment) do not have enough. Furthermore they are not trained, nor have independent status and a financial incentive as an impresario for example, to be sure of themselves and efficient. Pole employment centers (called « pôle emploi « in France) are certainly necessary in many material points, but they are "factory for discourage" ! Simply, for those who have not practiced, spending for a few hours there will make tem realize obviousely. This does not affect the quality and willingness of agents. This is the system itself that generates some collective irresponsibility on a human level and that is demotivating beacause the agent don’t have experience in the motivation of a troop. It there is much to say and do about it. A complex psychological mechanism undermining the vitality of societies. In a previous analysis of the internal motivations of unemployed and not-unemployed, we sought to highlight the collective misunderstanding of the subject and the extreme difficulty to perceive a specific collective complex. In outline: the unemployed are the unemployed are primarily devalued. Their personality is destructured. They have relatively good conscience of it. But non-unemployed are more ambiguous: while being able to recognize this point why do they show a kind of latent or repressed aggressivity, sometimes expressed, and they blame the unemployed to be broadly speaking lazy ones ? It turns out the analysis that the population of non-unemployed is trapped in a mechanism known by specialists alone: a "unconscious guilt complex". For the uninitiated, the word important is UNCONSCIOUS. This means that if we talk to non-unemployed: they deny because they are not aware, for definition. If you want a somewhat schematic illustration of
this complex, just to see or review the film of Hitchcock: Spellbound. The consequence of this complex is a collective inertia of the will, without going to the apathy and withdrawal, as in the example of the film. Of course, there individual cases that may be exempt from this complex group. French Sister Emmanuelle, in his inimitable way, pointed in the 80th this disastrous effect on the gloom of the French, compared to beings far more destitute, but that would work singing in the garbage collectors of Cairo! ... Another way to delude for the non-unemployed is claiming that the unemployed feel "guilty for not working"14. There is now better known mechanism of psychological projection unconscious of his own emotions. And if the unemployed use this language it is more a sort of plating a collective speech agreement, such as parrots. In the bottom of themselves, they are primarily devalued, denied by the company and their relatives. Because there are scary! This double mécnisme is far from resolved and no operator seems to be interested ... The vicious circle of old values and attitudes. On the other hand, finding a job makes it people very happy, serene, peaceful? Beyond the satisfaction of vital needs, the mark with red iron inflicted to the former unemployed heals it ? And those who have jobs do not they live in anxiety standing for themselves or their children to lose this job? Employment found, the greed to consume, by a sort of compensation makes it happy? ... It is evident that civilization is dying, that old values are crumbling, that the human being aspires to something else. Some found this "something else", but most are still searching ... Unemployment generated rigid attitudes throughout the social body. The double collective complex leads to inertia of all natures, as can easily realize. Bosses « hooligans » (patrons « voyous ») have proliferated it seems more than any other time passed. Managers "frightened" have become "torturers" beating and abusing of fear on their subordinates, to cause depressions, and even the reactions of suicide, probably not many, but enough to attract the attention of public opinion. It may be on this second level of analysis, we believe that action would be most effective in changing the collective consciousness and transform many painful situations. Explaining the unemployed their historical role won’t it participate to a revaluation of their condition? Would that not also, like by-effect, have a dynamic impact on the unemployed by freeing them from the weight of their unconscious guilt? ... But it is necessary to take into account the atavistic hurdy-gurdy practice of Christianity of redemption through suffering ! Is she really still relevant to the the paddle of new Civilization. Can we think of renowned scientists, independent in mind, could bring more light on this collective complex and lighten the burden of all an industrial civilization? These scientists may be from different branches of science, not just psychological one. 3 – Level : "enlightened", "historical", "civilizational". "The new century will be metaphysical ... or will not" Andre Malraux
The major factor. 14
“Culpability” which has nothing to do with the "unconscious guilt complex", which is a very technical psychoanalytical concept. But it can reveal that of the not-unemployeds. The modern culture better and better takes into account these aspects of the knowledge of unconscious and it will come one day when they will be usually taught at the school… like the multiplication tables.
Understanding of unemployment can really only comes from a point view of metaphysics : beyond physics ! ... We will try find out. If indeed it is meaningful to many of our contemporaries. But perhaps we may have some general inspiration. If you register unemployment in the historical perspective of the end of the old materialistic Christian civilization, it makes a lot its meaning. What let us know for one century? Three successive World Wars. The first two ones are well known, had the effect of destroying particularly selfish nationalisms. Each may consider this a blessing, even if it was acquired at a price of great suffering. Past thirty years, a third financial World War dare not speak its name, is rife. In reading this expression, one can think that this is a figure of speech ; and that the concept of finance refers to the excesses of bankers and traiders. But they are there only the émergeantes parts of a true war led by a nebula of very high owners of company, who try to conquer the ground of Europe particularly. Not these bosses ''hooligans'' are talking about. These are only men of straw of a handful of totalitarian thinkers, soulless, without feeling that decided to invade Europe primarily for increase their influence by means of finance, although there are secondary theaters. This formulation is not a caricature, but a reality that some may have known him! ... This is a new clique of individuals that do not necessarily know, but who are inspired by the even destructive will, as totalitarian as that which led worst excesses of the Nazis. We have detailed this third world war in a financial recent book: The Civiliation without fear ... to come (La Civiliation sans peur …à venir, in french). As long as we do not have consciousness, the real responsibles will not be identified. Although this third financial world war do not really reach the level of awareness of public opinion, consequences, however, are well perceived; newspapers are full of them. All destructuring, with its columns of unemployed, his dehumanizing methods of management playing on the fears - as the Nazis knew how to do - disaggregate the social fabric, the identity of peoples. There is no need to dwell on these effects "warriors" ... But like every action produces an inevitable reaction, natural and mechanical antidotes are secreted by the people. As the resistance was, during the Second World War, the consequence of the occupation, the unemployed make up this other "army of the shadows". The unemployed are resistant to the excesses of this third financial World War. There are other antibodies violent or nonviolent, such as terrorism blindly aiming the capitalist world. Or as the movements environmentalists, etc. ... If we can integrate all these socio-historical factors into a synthesis, we arrive at a synthetic view of the reality of this Financial World War III. And the unemployed, in particular, cover a historical “mission” which participates in the destruction of the ancient civilization to a New Civilization can hatch. For the principles of life centered on humanity, brotherhood, moderation in all things, become a material reality, not just a hope. ... With time! ... Unemployed among other players allow gradually: a revolution in the design of work ... of society ... materialism ... They are no longer an economic “constraint” with which the political people take on, nor a hopeless life full of frustration and humiliation. Like all resistant, their conditions are, of course, precarious, unpleasant. But if they understand the "positive" role that they play in psychodrama in this global, so their suffering can subside. Then their sacrifice is a noble and historic Sense. When people really want a new civilization they will implement a new work
culture, after they will make capitulate the actors of the financial World War III. They gather ethical conceptions of the beautiful work, besides an extraordinary technicality inherited the revolution of applied sciences of the last century. Most importantly, they will permit anymore than man goes after the machine and profit, as they are released themselves of excess greed. Are not we all committed to clearly this path? ...
UNEMPLOYMENT DOWN WHEN ... THE answer follows theese three levels of analysis. The "when" depends on the individual and not just a few. They concern ALL citizens who must educate themselves and stop being fooled, to provide sufficient energy to politica people so that tey make reform the world in all its excessive aspects, not to overthrow the Capitalism like communism grew, and in particular to curb smooth, the "financial power" so that it serves Humanity. When civilization is poised to overtake the materialism, to have a "metaphysical" conscience, then unemployment will not have anymore reason to be. If one pays attention to measures that are taken, often at low noise, and unfortunately obscured by the critical and perpetual lamentations, one can discern here and there that people go in the right direction. Is’nt it more important that everyone sharpens that his perceptual acuity than to decline intellectually everything here that drives people towards Civilization without fear ... to come? Skeptics themselves do not remain on the roadside and be caught by the irresistible flow of the change civilization ... This question of the unemployed, unemployment and full employment is, of course, global. Each country would determine whether this short synthesis proposed here is consistent or inconsistent with his own situation. The reader who wonders about these questions find more developments in the following two books (in french).
When the populations, as when leaving World War II, will exclaim in connection with this Financial World War III : “Never that again! ”… Then times will undoubtedly have come so that the full employment settles comfortably. ***
Richard ANDRÉ rich-andre@orange.fr Copyright: This text can be freely quoted and reproduced without permission. Please simply acknowledge the source: Les Éditions Électroniques Richard ANDRÉ - http://leera.toile-libre.org/ et (http://alivresraeditelect.site.voila.fr/ )
OTHER BOOKS FROM THE AUTHOR ON THE SUBJECT
The study « Chomeur : pourquoi ? Des Artisans de la Civilisation qui s’ignorent » ("Chomeur: why? Artisans of civilization which unaware ") of more than 400 pages, in French, is freely downloadable to:
Éditions Électroniques Richard André : http://leera.toile-
libre.org/alivresraeditelect_catalogue.htm#chom
This essay of 320 pages, in French, offers a rational approach to imagine the future. In particular it allows for relative unemployment in the Future civilization. Free downloadable book:
http://leera.toile-libre.org/alivresraeditelect_catalogue.htm#civil