Unemployment has significant implications for the individuals involved and for society in general - Essay Example

In certain cases and for certain professions an individual can have a duty towards society more than the duty they have towards their employer. Positions like doctors, lawyers, fire-fighters, police officers and the like have positions which are immediately recognized by their social standing and certain schemas, expectations and duties are immediately attached to them. On the other hand, the state of being unemployed or without work can also have significant implications for the individual where the most significant effect is the immediate loss of a large portion of the person’s income.

While the loss in income may be mitigated to a certain extent by the welfare benefits provided by the state, the loss in social status and personal abilities may be more striking. It is considered a social stigma to be without a job and being jobless has a measurable negative impact on a person’s wellbeing and happiness. Moreover, while the individual would feel most of the burden of unemployment for themselves, society at large is also affected in a negative way if a large portion of the productive workforce is also left without work.

While it can mean that the society is underutilizing its capacity to produce, it can also point towards other more significant problems. The case of Ireland is one such example where despite low unemployment there are still jobs which are unfilled and the economy is suffering because of underutilization. To better understand the implications of unemployment, an examination of consequences divided into consequences for individuals and consequences for society is necessary. Historically speaking, a study of the impact of unemployment on the individual was first conducted during the depression era where the shock of unemployment was seen to put a person through the mental states which are common to a shock experience (Ritchie et. al, 2005).

Being employed gives a person