ARTICLE: The New Zealand Full Employment Goal: A Survey of Changing Views 1950 to 1980

Abstract

Attitudes to full employment in official publications have varied. There have been changes in view as to the content, meaning and ranking of full employment in comparison to other objectives, and as to the significance of trade-offs between full employment and other objectives. Full employment conceived as total employment was worshipped at the beginning of the period under review. It was worshipped with less fervour in the 1960s. Opinions differed over what should have been done to reduce unemployment in the short-term as opposed to long-term and over what level of unemployment represented failure to achieve "full employment". Perceived opportunity costs - in terms of foregoing other objectives - of pursuing full employment more intensely, increased over the 30-year period. By the end of the period the notion of full employment was losing its connotation of prolonged job security.