Employment Policy, the State, and the Unions in the Federal Republic of Germany

Abstract

From 1957 to 1973, the Federal Republic of Germany had little unemployment. This changed with the economic crisis of 1974–1975. The number of unemployed increased to more than 1 million and remained at close to that level until the beginning of the 1980s. In the next crisis, 1980–1982, unemployment increased to over 2 million. According to all estimates, the number of unemployed will stay at around 2 million for the next 10 years. The Federal Republic of Germany, has, therefore, become a country with a large reserve army of labor.