In most countries, unemployment is one of the most
serious social and economic problems of the day. It exists in an alarming
degree, not only in poor countries, but also in apparently prosperous lands
like England and the United States of America. Just now it is not as bad as it
was a few years ago in England; but even to-day. When trade is fairly good and
the re-armament schemes have absorbed a number of the hitherto unemployed,
there are still about two million (in a population of forty million out of
work. The number of the unemployed goes up and down as trade diminishes or
improves but unemployment still remains as a more or less serious problem.
There is no need to stress the serious sufferings
of men and families who are out of work for long periods of time -- lack of
food, decent housing, health, and all the pleasures of life; nor the injury a
country as a whole suffers when so large a part of its population is idle and
is a burden on the rest. Let us glance at the different ways in which the
problem is being tackled.
At one time emigration was the chief remedy. People
who could not get work at home were helped to immigrate to the Colonies. And
went across the seas to people Australia, New Zeal and and Canada. But
emigration on any large scale to these countries is no longer possible, as they
have big populations of their own. Either work or support has now to be found
for the wordless at home.
Private Charity, administered by philanthropic
societies, has done much to relieve the distress of families out of work by
supplying them with money and food. But the problem is too big a one for
private effort to deal with adequately.
So the State has had to step in and to-day it
supports families who are out of work on what is called the ‘dole”. The
unemployed can now claim a certain allowance out of State funds. so long as
they are genuinely out-of-work. This is sufficient to secure to them food and
housing, and medical attention in time of sickness. This has saved thousands
from starvation; but it has its disadvantages. Living on the dole in idleness
is not good for the character of any man. The honest workman feels degraded at
having to live on charity, when all he wants is to earn an honest living by
honest toil. And the effect on others is to make them idle and work-shy. And
unwilling to take work even when they can get it. So the problem is pilot
solved, but only alleviated.