Unemployment, alas, has become one of the realities of our time. But once upon a time, even under the Soviet Union, it was believed that it would never touch us, because in a socialist society there can be no such phenomenon. It is there, in the decaying West, in order to survive, women are engaged in prostitution, and the elderly, children, the disabled are asking for alms. Capable people there are forced to stand idle for hours at labor exchanges in the hope of finding at least some income, and those who desperate go for a piece of bread for a crime. But those who have lost hope drink too much, die from drugs, and become victims of suicide.
With the departure into the past era of the USSR, with the collapse of the economies of the former republics, with the impoverishment of the bulk of the population, unemployment has firmly settled throughout the post-Soviet space and is not going to give up its positions. Contribute to this and endless world crises, another wave covering the countries of near and far abroad, and the confusion in political and economic issues of domestic policies, and many other nuances.
From time to time, any government has to deal with the economic and social consequences of unemployment. They are very serious. Experts put them on the same scale with the problems of poverty, social instability, and others that threaten to undermine the foundations of state power.
The economic consequences of unemployment for Russians and citizens of other states are the more severe, the lower their material security. Psychologists believe that for adaptation in such conditions, people need appropriate help and support. It should be expressed in unemployment benefits, as well as in special state programs and measures that would help people survive difficult times.
The socio-economic consequences of unemployment are not just the assessment of social damage or losses in the country's economy, although this is also important. Significantly reduced the amount of time spent on production processes. Intensity and labor productivity are falling rapidly. Plus, direct costs from the budget to overcome these negative phenomena.
At the same time, analyzing the socio-economic consequences of unemployment, experts speak not only about its negative, but also its positive aspects.
I. Unemployment and its social consequences
1. Negative:
- criminogenic situations are aggravated;
- in society, social tension intensifies;
- the number of mentally and physically ill is growing;
- the social stratification of society is growing, the gap between the rich and the poor is widening;
- labor activity is significantly less than in years of social and economic stability.
2. Positive:
- people begin to keep their work stronger than usual, the social value of jobs increases significantly;
- with a decrease in employment, more free time is freed up, which people often spend on acquiring a new specialty, raising their intellectual level;
- there is a legitimate opportunity to find a new job;
- the social significance and value of labor itself increases significantly.
II. Unemployment and its economic consequences
1. Negative:
- the process of learning, gaining knowledge within the framework of the school curriculum and above is losing its former importance (why study, if there is no place to work anyway!);
- reduction in production can take very voluminous forms;
- increased costs to help victims of unemployment;
- specialists lose their qualifications, knowledge is not in demand;
- living standards are steadily declining;
- tax revenues are significantly reduced to the state treasury;
- under-produced national income.
2. Positive:
- citizens not involved in the production process become a kind of reserve of labor forces in a changing economy;
- competition between employees becomes an incentive for the development of their own talents, advanced training, and the growth of skill levels;
- retraining;
- stimulation of labor productivity, its intensity.
Thus, the socio-economic consequences of unemployment are of a dialectical nature. Undoubtedly, unemployment itself is the result of negative phenomena in the state’s domestic policy. It should be temporary. And the higher the standard of living in the country, the more stable the economy, the fewer people become victims of labor market fluctuations. In economically developed countries, the unemployed are much fewer than those that are experiencing internal disasters.
Naturally, in order to overcome the socio-economic consequences of unemployment, heads of state often take unpopular measures such as imposing a limit on foreigners entering a country, restricting their employment in favor of the local population, and many others.