) Distinguish Between the Classical View and the Keynesian View of Unemployment

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Issues, policies and principles in economics coursework. (a) Distinguish between the classical view and the Keynesian view of unemployment. Unemployment is defined as the percentage of the labour force that is able and actively seeking work, it is measured in two different ways; the first is by the claimant account and second is the labour force survey. The unemployment rate is calculated by dividing the number of unemployed by the total number of workers in the labour force and then multiplying by 100. Currently as of November 2011 the UK’s unemployment rate stands at 8.3%. (Lawton, 2011: 2) There are several types of unemployment; seasonal, frictional, structural, cyclical (Keynesian) and real wage (classical). The latter two I shall discuss in more detail. Keynesian Unemployment Keynesian Unemployment Cyclical or Keynesian unemployment explores the Keynesian theory of demand management and how if the economy lacks demand it will therefore create demand deficient unemployment. LRAS LRAS PRICE LEVEL PRICE LEVEL AS AS AD2 AD2 P2 P P1 P2 P P1 An economy would typically lack demand in a recession where confidence is low and consumption drops causing the shift of AD to AD1, firms respond by reducing production (YF to Y1) and therefore require less labour triggering an increase of unemployment. Keynesian economists also believe that wage rigidity comes into play as in the short run wages cannot fall to clear the market so firms cut jobs, to reduce their costs. REAL GDP REAL GDP AD1 AD1 AD AD Y1 YF Y2 Y1 YF Y2 Keynes believed that this could be resolved through demand management. An expansionary fiscal or monetary policy like increasing the money supply would mean there is more money in the economy allowing banks to loan more which increases confidence causing firms to increase investment and

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