The graph depicts the number of Amerians employed by government (presumably federal + state and local) in red, versus those employed in manufacturing and construction in blue, over the time period 1969 - 2008.
I don't have access to the primary data, which was compiled and graphed at a subscription-only website, linked here, but it's probably valid. The blue line of course represents only a part of the private sector, but the trends are obvious.
I won't editorialize, except to note that this is not a reflection of Republican policy or Democratic policy - its a bipartisan accomplishment. Government begets more government.
This is a complex subject that deserves more than a casual comment, but the graph is striking and I wanted to offer it for your consideration.
Hmmm. You say "I don't have access to the primary data, which was compiled and graphed at a subscription-only website, linked here, but it's probably valid. The blue line of course represents only a part of the private sector, but the trends are obvious."
ReplyDeletea) why do you say it's probably valid? I don't have any reason to believe one way or the other, and the cite you list isn't any sort of authority I've heard of. Also, the cite that your cite lists isn't any sort of authority I've heard of.
b) what percentage of our economy is reflected in "manufacturing and construction"? I'd like to think it's a shrinking percentage, and that more work is flowing to higher paying, more future-facing industries, such as high-tech. (or on the flip side, sadly perhaps it's flowing to service jobs like Walmart).
c) Assuming that the graph is accurate (and I don't), if you look at the government line as a percentage of US population, it looks like government jobs have gone from 6% of the population in 1970 to 7.4% of the population in 2000 (2000 is the latest available on Wikipedia). That is a growth, but not the doubling that's implied in the graph.
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ReplyDeleteProbably the best economic website that I have read over the past number of years
I have checked the data and the graphs numerous times – most economic data is easily accessible data from government sources
The website is like the economist without the puff pieces mixed in – in other words if you aren’t really interested in economics and markets this is about as dry as it comes.
Note there is a free section – worth a read