Why have the following places got lower unemployment rates than the UK?

**Mr Pee** · 14-11-11, 16:14

Originally posted by Lateralthinking1 View Post

Andorra - 2.9%
Argentina - 7.3%
Armenia - 7.0%
Australia - 5.2%
Austria - 4.3%
Azerbaijan - 6.0%
Bangladesh - 5.0%
Belarus - 0.7%
Belgium - 7.3%
Bermuda - 4.5%
Bhutan - 4.0%
Bolivia - 6.0%
Botswana - 7.5%
Brazil - 6.5%
Brunei - 3.7%
Burma - 4.9%
Canada - 7.2%
Chile - 7.1%
China - 4.1%
Cuba - 1.6%
Cyprus - 7.4%
Denmark - 7.4%
El Salvador - 7.2%
Faroe Islands - 5.9%
Germany - 5.8%
Ghana - 3.6%
Gibralter - 3.3%
Guatemala - 3.2%
Guernsey - 1.5%
Hong Kong - 3.5%
Iceland - 7.6%
Isle of Man - 1.8%
Israel - 5.4%
Japan - 4.1%
Jersey - 2.7%
Kazhagstan - 6.1%
Kuwait - 1.5%
Laos - 2.5%
Liberia - 3.6%
Liechtenstein - 1.5%
Luxembourg - 4.5%
Macau - 3.5%
Malaysia - 3.2%
Malta - 6.2%
Mexico - 5.5%
Netherlands - 4.2%
Nicaragua - 5.9%
Nigeria - 4.9%
Norway 3.4%
Palau - 4.2%
Panama - 7.1%
Papua New Guinea - 1.8%
Philippines - 7.2%
Qatar - 0.5%
Romania - 7.0%
Russia - 7.6%
Saint Kitts and Nevis - 4.5%
San Marino - 3.1%
Singapore - 1.9%
South Korea - 3.7%
Sri Lanka - 5.9%
Switzerland - 2.9%
Thailand - 1.2%
Tonga - 1.1%
Trinidad and Tobago - 5.8%
Turks and Caicos Islands - 5.4%
Uruguay - 6.1%
Vietnam - 2.9%

I give up. What's the answer?

**Frances_iom** · 14-11-11, 16:22

Isle of Man has work permit requirements (+ no benefits until you have paid into the system) - the CI have even tighter controls in that you need be of a certain ecconomic worth to move - maybe that is what he is after tho Roumania ? (maybe they don't count in same way or export most people)

Maybe another quarterbaked scheme to return the UK (or at least the southern bit) to the fifties ? when all was sweetness, light and little consumption

**remdataram** · 14-11-11, 16:24

They don't pay unemployment benefit?

Because many of our unemployed haven't officially arrived yet?

Simon Rattle hasn't conducted there?

**Lateralthinking1** · 14-11-11, 16:45

Among the things I find interesting about this list is that it doesn't matter much whether:

1. You are in the EU or out of it.
2. You are in Southern Europe or Northern Europe.
3. You are in a mature economy or a developing nation.
4. Your country is rich or poor in natural resources.
5. You are in a country that is just twenty years old or hundreds of years old.
6. You are in a capitalist or a socialist country.
7. You are in a country with unemployment benefit or not.
8. You are in a country that gives aid or receives aid from Britain and other countries.
9. You are in a country which was once under Soviet control or not.

10. You are in a country with masses of economists and bankers or hardly any.
11. You are in a country where the economy has collapsed - ie Iceland - or not.
12. You are in a small or large country.
13. You are in a country where civil war is frequent or not.
14. You are in a country where inflation was once rampant - ie Argentina - or not.
15. You are in a country where famine is frequent or not.
16. You are in a country with a population of high or low age.
17. You are in close proximity to China, India and the United States or not so.
18. You are in close proximity to Greece, Italy, Ireland and Portugal or not so.
19. You are in a country that is seen as a major world player.
20. You are in a country that has strict or weak immigration controls.

This might seem to suggest that it is about whether the respective Governments are efficient and also prioritise employment.

**Serial_Apologist** · 14-11-11, 16:57

Originally posted by Lateralthinking1 View Post

Among the things I find interesting about this list is that it doesn't matter much whether:

1. You are in the EU or out of it.
2. You are in Southern Europe or Northern Europe.
3. You are in a mature economy or a developing nation.
4. Your country is rich or poor in natural resources.
5. You are in a country that is just twenty years old or hundreds of years old.
6. You are in a capitalist or a socialist country.
7. You are in a country with unemployment benefit or not.
8. You are in a country that gives aid or receives aid from Britain and other countries.
9. You are in a country which was once under Soviet control or not.

10. You are in a country with masses of economists and bankers or hardly any.
11. You are in a country where the economy has collapsed - ie Iceland - or not.
12. You are in a small or large country.
13. You are in a country where civil war is frequent or not.
14. You are in a country where inflation was once rampant - ie Argentina - or not.
15. You are in a country where famine is frequent or not.
16. You are in a country with a population of high or low age.
17. You are in close proximity to China, India and the United States or not so.
18. You are in close proximity to Greece, Italy, Ireland and Portugal or not so.
19. You are in a country that is seen as a major world player.
20. You are in a country that has strict or weak immigration controls.

Well, Cuba is a "socialist" country, inasmuch as its economy is centrally planned; (pace, oxymoron spotters).

As to the other countries with very low rates of unemployment, it is noticeable either that they are either very small, or countries in which local or imported manual labour is heavily employed in construction. In either case you probably wouldn't be allowed in beyond a short-term permit unless a job was already there for you, or you yourself were creating a few.

Other than that, the variables involved probably elude any general explanation of the reading.

**Lateralthinking1** · 14-11-11, 17:26

Here are some interesting contrasts -

Sweden 7.7% - Norway 3.4%
Greece 18.1% - Cyprus 7.4%
Lithuania 16.3% - Belarus 0.7%
Mali 30.0% - Ghana 3.6%
Namibia 51.2% - Botswana 7.5%
Georgia 16.9% - Azerbaijan 6.0%
Turkmenistan 70.0% - Kazhagstan 6.1%
Colombia 12.2% - Brazil 6.5%
Honduras 27.8% - Guatemala 3.2%
Pakistan 15.0% - Sri Lanka 5.9%
United Arab Emirates 12.7% - Qatar 0.5%
Serbia 30.0% - Romania 7.0%
Vanatu 78.2% - Tonga 1.1%

**Serial_Apologist** · 14-11-11, 17:44

Originally posted by Lateralthinking1 View Post

Here are some interesting contrasts -

Sweden 7.7% - Norway 3.4%
Greece 18.1% - Cyprus 7.4%
Lithuania 16.3% - Belarus 0.7%
Mali 30.0% - Ghana 3.6%
Namibia 51.2% - Botswana 7.5%
Georgia 16.9% - Azerbaijan 6.0%
Turkmenistan 70.0% - Kazhagstan 6.1%
Colombia 12.2% - Brazil 6.5%
Honduras 27.8% - Guatemala 3.2%
Pakistan 15.0% - Sri Lanka 5.9%
United Arab Emirates 12.7% - Qatar 0.5%
Serbia 30.0% - Romania 7.0%
Vanatu 78.2% - Tonga 1.1%

Have these figures been reached by common data analysis, Lat?

**scottycelt** · 14-11-11, 18:24

Originally posted by Lateralthinking1 View Post

Andorra - 2.9%
Argentina - 7.3%
Armenia - 7.0%
Australia - 5.2%
Austria - 4.3%
Azerbaijan - 6.0%
Bangladesh - 5.0%
Belarus - 0.7%
Belgium - 7.3%
Bermuda - 4.5%
Bhutan - 4.0%
Bolivia - 6.0%
Botswana - 7.5%
Brazil - 6.5%
Brunei - 3.7%
Burma - 4.9%
Canada - 7.2%
Chile - 7.1%
China - 4.1%
Cuba - 1.6%
Cyprus - 7.4%
Denmark - 7.4%
El Salvador - 7.2%
Faroe Islands - 5.9%
Germany - 5.8%
Ghana - 3.6%
Gibralter - 3.3%
Guatemala - 3.2%
Guernsey - 1.5%
Hong Kong - 3.5%
Iceland - 7.6%
Isle of Man - 1.8%
Israel - 5.4%
Japan - 4.1%
Jersey - 2.7%
Kazhagstan - 6.1%
Kuwait - 1.5%
Laos - 2.5%
Liberia - 3.6%
Liechtenstein - 1.5%
Luxembourg - 4.5%
Macau - 3.5%
Malaysia - 3.2%
Malta - 6.2%
Mexico - 5.5%
Netherlands - 4.2%
New Zealand - 6.6%
Nicaragua - 5.9%
Nigeria - 4.9%
Norway 3.4%
Palau - 4.2%
Panama - 7.1%
Papua New Guinea - 1.8%
Philippines - 7.2%
Qatar - 0.5%
Romania - 7.0%
Russia - 7.6%
Saint Kitts and Nevis - 4.5%
San Marino - 3.1%
Singapore - 1.9%
South Korea - 3.7%
Sri Lanka - 5.9%
Switzerland - 2.9%
Thailand - 1.2%
Tonga - 1.1%
Trinidad and Tobago - 5.8%
Turks and Caicos Islands - 5.4%
Uruguay - 6.1%
Vietnam - 2.9%

So that means there are at least 126 countries which have higher rates than the UK, so maybe 'we' (at least those lucky to be in work) don't do so badly after all ... ?

**Norfolk Born** · 14-11-11, 18:50

What percentage of the percentages being bandied about is reliable?

**Anna** · 14-11-11, 18:59

Originally posted by Norfolk Born View Post

What percentage of the percentages being bandied about is reliable?

Well, someone said there are lies, damned lies and statitics. I do not know who.

But, Lat, what is your point? Are you saying the British are inherently lazy and have bought into the benefit culture so everyone is a parasite or is your point that Britain is now a banana republic and produces diddly squat when it comes to GDP? I am a little confused as to why you posted this in the first place, what point do you wish to prove?

**Mr Pee** · 14-11-11, 19:09

There are so many variables that the percentages are meaningless.

**Lateralthinking1** · 14-11-11, 19:58

My main point is that our Government and officials are poor at creating the right conditions for employment. While some might come up with the usual arguments - we have no industry here, we have sold off loads of things, the benefits are too generous, the problem is Europe, we are all in an international banking crisis, people are lazy or badly trained - these figures suggest that we need to look for other reasons.

My feeling would be that the education system is geared towards fantasies about employment, there is too much kowtowing to bankers and shareholders, the organisation of employment is top-heavy, the emphasis on minimising litigation can obstruct access, we spend too much time engaged in making other countries right as we see it, and unemployment is seen by our politicians as a reasonable way of keeping inflation down.

**MrGongGong** · 14-11-11, 20:08

indeed far too much education is geared towards the so called "needs of industry" when the very same people (who run industry) seem to be unable to work out that there's some kind of festival happening next month on the 25th

fantasies about the kind of employment people will get
and
systems that mitigate against people creating their own work pattern

i've linked to this before but its pertinent

TED: Not Found

http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_changing_education_paradigms.html

**Angle** · 14-11-11, 20:36

indeed far too much education is geared towards the so called "needs of industry" when the very same people (who run industry) seem to be unable to work out that there's some kind of festival happening next month on the 25th

.. and if recent Christmas output is anything to go by, this includes the BBC.

Why have the following places got lower unemployment rates than the UK?

Why have the following places got lower unemployment rates than the UK?

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