There are number of reasons why some level of unemployment is
healthy for the economy.
- Presence of Frictional Unemployment - This
type of unemployment encapses those unemployed people who are
unemployed temporarily. There are many people who graduate every
year. When they start for a job, for the span of time spent job
searching is the time they are unemployed. An economy characterised
by mproving quality of education and human capital will have
certain level of frictional unemployment. Again those people who
shift to a better job require some time shifting. This span of time
they are unemployed. This shows improving job prospects in the
nation. Hence some level of frictional unemployment is a sign of a
booming economy.
- Presence of Structural Unemployment - This
type of unemployment exists because the production structure is
making advances and transforming. People unable to upgrade will
become unemployed for a certain time span unless they upgrade
themselves or find a different job that suits their skills. So low
levels of structural unemployment indicates that there is growth
and development occuring in the economy. Higher levels of
structural unemployment can be problamatic but the government
through proper training programs can solve this problem.
- Moderates Inflation -Certain level of
unemployment is required to avoid uncomfortable levels of high
inflation. Full employment in the absolute sense can overheat the
economy and increase aggregate spending and price levels
substantially. Practically there has never been a 0% of
unemployment, very low levels of unemployment have overheated
economies in the past and caused recession! In the May of 1953, US
had a unemployment rate of 2.5%. The reason for this was the Korean
war. However this soon caused the recession of 1953. Hence some
level of unemployment indicates healthy inflation rates.