AcandidassessmentofwhythejobmarketisnotashealthyaswethinkDon’ttrustlowunemploymentnumbersasproofthatthelabormarketisdoingfine--itisn’t.NotWorkingisaboutthosewhocan’tfindfull-timeworkatadecentwage--theunderemployed--andhowtheirplightiscontributingtowidespreaddespair,aworseningdrugepidemic,andtheuncheckedriseofright-wingpopulism.Inthisrevelatoryandoutspokenbook,DavidBlanchflowerdrawsonhisacclaimedworkintheeconomicsoflaborandwell-beingtoexplainwhytoday’spostrecessioneconomyisvastlydifferentfromwhatcamebefore.HecallsoutourleadersandpolicymakersforfailingtoseetheGreatRecessioncoming,andfortheircontinuedfailuretoaddressoneofthemostunacknowledgedsocialcatastrophesofourtime.Blanchflowershowshowmanyworkersareunderemployedorhavesimplygivenuptryingtofindawell-payingjob,howwagegrowthhasnotreturnedtoprerecessionlevelsdespiterosyemploymentindicators,andhowgeneralprosperityhasnotreturnedsincethecrashof2008.Standardeconomicmeasuresareoftenblindtotheseforgottenworkers,whichiswhyBlanchflowerpracticesthe“economicsofwalkingabout“--seeingforhimselfhowordinarypeoplearefaringundertherecovery,andtakingseriouslywhattheysayanddo.NotWorkingishiscandidreportonhowtheyoungandthelessskilledareamongtheworstcasualtiesofunderemployment,howimmigrantsaretakingtheblame,andhowtheepidemicofunhappinessandself-destructionwillcontinuetospreadunlesswedealwithit.
