Ending the "War on Work"

City Journal Audio

Manhattan Institute

News, News Commentary, Politics

4.7 • 657 Ratings

🗓️ 28 June 2017

⏱️ 19 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Edward L. Glaeser joins Brian Anderson to discuss the great American domestic crisis of the twenty-first century: persistent joblessness, particularly among "prime-age" men. This Ten Blocks edition is the first based onCity Journal's special issue, The Shape of Work to Come.

In 1967, 95 percent of men between the ages of 25 and 54 worked. During the Great Recession, the share of jobless prime-age males rose above 20 percent. Today, even after years of economic recovery, more than 15 percent of prime-age men still aren't working. Technological changes, globalization, the educational system, and government policy have all contributed to the problem. "To solve this crisis, we must educate, reform social services, empower entrepreneurs, and even subsidize employment," argues Glaeser in his article, "The War on Work—and How to End It," in the special issue of City Journal.

Edward L. Glaeser is a professor of economics at Harvard University, a City Journal contributing editor, and the author of Triumph of the City: How Our Greatest Invention Makes Us Richer, Smarter, Greener, Healthier, and Happier.

Transcript

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0:00.0	The rise of joblessness, especially among men, is perhaps the great American domestic crisis of the 21st century.
0:07.1	Between 1945 and 1968, only about 5% of prime age men, between the ages of 25 and 54, that is, were out of the workforce.
0:18.1	During the height of the Great Recession, that number rose above 20%,
0:22.6	and it remains high today even after several years of recovery. As the demand for American muscle has ended or eroded,
0:32.0	government programs such as unemployment and Social Security disability insurance have taken its place. These programs
0:39.5	were poorly designed and actually disincentifies many people from getting back into the workforce.
0:45.7	Now, a future without any work isn't inevitable or even likely, but how do we solve our present
0:51.8	crisis of joblessness? On today's 10 Blo's podcast, we'll talk with Ed Glazer.
0:57.0	He's a professor at Harvard University, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute,
1:01.5	and a longtime contributing editor of City Journal,
1:04.2	about his agenda for ending the war on work before it consumes another generation of Americans.
1:11.2	Before we begin the latest 10 blocks, I'd like to tell our listeners about a special offer
1:16.0	from City Journal.
1:17.3	We're giving away free copies of our brand new special issue called The Shape of Work to
1:23.2	come.
1:23.6	It features articles from renowned contributors like Victor Davis Hansen, Laura Vanderandekam, Edward Glazer, Kayeimowitz, and others,
1:31.5	all exploring how our nation should confront one of the greatest domestic challenges of the 21st century, persistent joblessness.
1:39.2	The first 100 people to enter will be shipped a free copy of this special issue. Just go to
1:45.6	www.com.city-gournal.org backslash giveaway for a chance to win. Each issue, by the way,
1:53.2	comes with a gorgeous, well-designed cover, lavish interior illustrations and photos. So it makes
2:00.0	an excellent material for your coffee table,
2:02.2	living room, anywhere basically you'd like to impress friends and family. Again, that's
	...

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