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posted by  mhg on 7/17/2009 4:41:23 PM  |  status: Live  |  Earned Karma: 25

Economics

Course Textbook Chapter Problem Needs by
Economics Macroeconomics by William A McEachern 12 N/A N/A
Question Details:
Often during recessions, the number of young people who volunteer for military service increases. Could this rise be considered a type of automatic stabilizer? Why or why not?
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Oracle
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posted by Marth on 7/18/2009 1:07:32 PM  |  status: Live
Clarification Details:
As long as the military provides a source of employment, it can be considered a source of automatic stability.  The lack of job openings and general unemployment caused by a recession forces more people to hunt for jobs, such as military service.  Therefore, it is automatic because no government policy is required.


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Sage
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posted by Domokun on 7/20/2009 10:31:11 AM  |  status: Live
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Response Details:
By definition, automatic stabilizers dampen fluctuations in real GDP without explicit governmental policy change. During recessions, the unemployment rate is typically higher than is normal, meaning that there is a surplus amount of labor seeking for jobs. This increase in unemployment is hampered, however, due to the increasing number of young people joining the military, as this decreases the size of the labor pool that is still actively looking for jobs. So rather than producing nothing as the unemployed, these youths are able to participate in the government sector of GDP. In conclusion, military service serves as an automatic stabilizer because it helps to moderate the fluctuations.
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