Paul Krugman: Against Learned Helplessness

Yet a strange thing has happened to policy discussion: on both sides of the Atlantic, a consensus has emerged among movers and shakers that nothing can or should be done about jobs. Instead of a determination to do something about the ongoing suffering and economic waste, one sees a proliferation of excuses for inaction, garbed in the language of wisdom and responsibility.

So someone needs to say the obvious: inventing reasons not to put the unemployed back to work is neither wise nor responsible. It is, instead, a grotesque abdication of responsibility.

As I see it, policy makers are sinking into a condition of learned helplessness on the jobs issue: the more they fail to do anything about the problem, the more they convince themselves that there’s nothing they could do. And those of us who know better should be doing all we can to break that vicious circle.

MaryKay wrote:I agree with P. Krugman, however, he missed a big opportunity to once again speak out for extending benefits for those who these policy makers are ignoring. Shortly, it will come to light just exactly what the true numbers of unemployed really are and how many jobs there really aren't!!!! Then watch the repubs jump on the "disaster that they think this administration caused" bandwagon. They won't be able to deny the actual numbers when the housing market craps out again as many predict, just wait until all the states start repealing their EUC or EB benefits which is starting to happen.