Unemployment that is limited to a specific region or a specific type of work is re-ferred to as geographic or industry unemployment. When steel mills closed during the
1980s, for example, many workers lost their jobs. Typically, this work was concentrated in specific geographic areas, such as the Northeast. Although other regions of the coun-try were growing, communities that relied on specific industries were hurt economically.
To what extent is unemployment an ever-present reality in our nation? The pol-
icy goal of full employment has been vigorously debated since the Great Depression. Debates about it raise a number of important points. Full employment means there
are very few workers available for jobs paying typical wages, and those looking for jobs can find them. The economic upheaval of the Great Depression demonstrated that the goal of full employment was difficult to achieve and that economic cycles could be severe. The Great Depression convinced people that government interven-tion might be a suitable means of maintaining economic stability. Supporters of gov-ernment intervention wanted legislation that promoted full employment. Such legislation would have made the federal government an employer of those in need of jobs, typically through public works programs and civil service agencies. Major business and agricultural groups fought full employment legislation on the grounds