America Is Getting the Make-Work Jobs It Needs

A year ago, I argued that lots of people don’t just want material goods -- they crave the dignity that comes from working for a living. Even jobs that economists might deride as make-work can yield meaning, self-respect and social status. For this reason, I suggested that the government should establish a program to give work to everyone who wants it, even if that comes at the cost of a bit less economic efficiency.

But it’s possible that American society is already doing this on its own. For reasons not entirely understood, several big important industries are becoming less productive -- using more and more people to do less and less work. These industries may already be functioning as giant make-work programs for a society having difficulty keeping up with rapid changes in technology and trade patterns.