Unemployment

ent">by the government through an increase in the level
Introduction:of government expenditure. This will however result
Unemployment is one of the major concerns ofto higher levels of interest rates as a monetary policy
today’s economies, this paper analysis the LMmeasure to avoid inflation caused by the government
and IS curve model in determining howexpenditure.
unemployment in the economy can be reduced, thereThe LM curve and unemployment:
are two types of policies that an economy can applyThe LM curve can also depict a policy measure by
to fine tune the economy to achieve required growthwhich an economy can reduce the level of
and employment, this include fiscal policies whichunemployment, an increase in money supply will result
include government expenditure which affect the ISinto a downward shift in the LM curve, as a result
curve, the other type of policy include the monetarythe economy will be at a higher output level and
policies which affect the LM curve.therefore higher employment levels, the diagram
This paper first discusses the impact of an increase inbelow shows a the effect of an increase in money
government expenditure on the level of employmentsupply on the LM curve and the employment level.
in the economy, when the government increasesThe above diagram shows the effect of increase in
expenditure then the level of employment willthe level of money supply, when the monetary policy
increase but the outcome will be inflationary. Themakers increase the level of money supply then the
next analysis is the effect of an increase in moneyLM curve shifts from LM curve 1 to LM curve 2, as a
supply by the monetary policy makers which willresult the outpurt level shifts from Y1 to Y2 which
result into an increase in employment. Finally itsignifies an increase in the employment level.
discusses the application of mix policy measuresHowever the interest rates are at a lower level and
which will be used to ensure that the inflationarythis can be attributed to thye actions by the
pressure does not affect the economy and at themonetary policy makers in order to increase money
same time achieve higher employment levels.supply.
From this paper it will be clear that the cost ofThe other effect of this is inflation, when an
increasing employment levels is inflation, wheneconomy increase money supply then the negative
employment is increased then inflation will increase,effect of this is inflation in the economy.
this is in line with the Phillips curve which depicts theFrom the above discussion it is clear that the effect
relationship between employment and inflation.of reducing unemployment is inflation in the economy,
However the government should not attempt tothis is in line with the theory by Phillips who depicted
increase employment due to inflation but shouldthe Phillips curve which plots the relationship between
attempt to achieve full employment despite the cost.inflation and unemployment, his curve is depicted
The LM and IS curve:below:
When there is equilibrium in the money market thenThe Phillips curve depict that as inflation increases
the amount of money demanded is equal to thethen the level of employment is high, but when
quantity of money supplied, the LM curve joinsinflation is low then the level of unemployment is high.
together combinations of interest rates and nationalMixed policy measures:
income at which the monetary sector is at equilibrium.There exist an alternative to the problem of inflation,
There are factors that determine the position of thethis can be achieved through mix policy measure, and
LM curve. These factors include the change in thethis involves the mixing of both monetary policies and
transaction demand for money, change in speculativeat the same time fiscal policies. However there is
demand for money and changes in money supply.need to consider whether the economy is at its full
There are factors that affect money supply andemployment level,when the government increases
they include changes in open market operations,expenditure as we earlier discussed then the IS
change in prices and changes in the reserve ratio.curve shifts upwards, then if we shift the LM curve
The IS curve joins together combinations of interestas shown then we will achieve higher employment
rates and national income at which the commoditylevels at the same interest rate level, for this reason
market is at equilibrium, this is to say that thethere is need to use both policy measure together.
equilibrium expenditure equals output.Shifts in the ISMixed policy measures are what governments today
curve are attributed to changes in governmentuse to achieve higher growth and low employment
expenditure and changes in net exports.levels without experiencing high inflation level, all
From the above discussion the factors that cause aeconomies try to achieve full employment which is
shift in the LM and IS curve can therefore be usedthe situation where all the available resources in the
by the government and monetary policy makers toeconomy are utilised including natural; resources and
improve the state of the economy, those factorslabour employment.
that lead to a shift in the LM curve which includeThe LM and IS curves cannot clearly show the use
money supply, changes in prices and reserve ratiosof mixed policy measure and also this model cannot
can be used to fine tune the economy to reduceshow the policy measure that are undertaken when
unemployment, also those factors that lead to a shiftthere is a demand shock or a boom in the economy.
in the IS curve will also help in reducingOther policy measures that cannot be shown by the
unemployment and these factors include governmentIS LM curves include policy measures in a recession, in
expenditure and exports.this case the best model to show this is the AD AS
The diagram below shows the combination of the ISmodel which uses the inflation adjustment curve and
and LM curve:aggregate demand curve to show the effects of
Interest ratesdifferent policy measures.
The Is curve is a downward sloping curve while theConclusion:
LM curve is an upward sloping curve, the point atFrom the above discussion it is clear that the policies
which the two curves intersect gives us thecan be used to reduce unemployment levels in the
equilibrium level of income or output and theeconomy, the government will increase expenditure
equilibrium interest rate that prevails in the economy,and as a result the level of employment will increase,
in our case our equilibrium income level is Ye andanother option is increased money supply which will
equilibrium interest rate is given by I.result into higher employment levels, however
The IS curve and unemployment:according to the Phillips curve the cost of increased
An upward shift in the IS curve could solve theemployment is inflation and therefore every
problem of unemployment, an upward shift in the ISeconomy must be aware of the inflation ally pressure
curve can be as a result of an increase incaused by increased employment in the economy.
government expenditure, the following diagram belowThe best option however is to use mix policy
depicts how this is possible:measures whereby both monetary and fiscal policies
From the above diagram it is clear that an increase inare used at the same time to deal with inflation.
government expenditure that results to an increase inThrough increased expenditure by the government
aggregate demand will result into increased income,the fiscal policy measure to deal with inflation is an
the income level signifies the employment level ionincrease in interest rate to avoid distortion of the
the economy and in our case it is clear that thisfree market, when there is an increase in money
results to higher employment level from y1 to y2.supply there should be increased taxation by the
The first diagram shows an increase in governmentgovernment and this will help stabilise the economy.
expenditure which results into an increase inHowever it is clear that the cost of efforts to
aggregate demand from aggregate demand 1 toreduce unemployment is inflation and therefore no
aggregate demand 2, as a result the equilibrium levelmatter how these policies are used with reference to
shifts from y1 to y2, this in turn shifts the equilibriumthe Phillips curve the economy will still experience
level of the IS LM model, the IS curve shifts from ISinflation.
curve 1 to IS curve 2. According to KeynesMixed policy measures can only be clearly shown by
aggregate demand is equal to consumption plusthe AD AS model which uses the inflation adjustment
investment plus government.line which is a horizontal line and the aggregate curve
As a result of this the economy is at a higher outputwhich depict the fiscal policy measures undertaken by
level and for this reason there is higher employmentthe economy. However it is clear in this paper that
level, however from our diagram this position bringsthe government has the ability to reduce
about an increase in the interest rate level than itemployment through the use of its policy tools at
was originally was at, the interest rate level increasestheir disposal.
from I1 to I2. Therefore employment can be created