The new conception of economic policy: The very low unemployment rate does not indicate full employment
Despite the fact that unemployment rates are at historic lows, fiscal and monetary policies remain very expansionary in OECD countries. When the unemployment rate is very low, there is normally no point in stimulating demand since it is no longer possible to reduce unemployment and since the growth rate is equal to potential growth. However, a new conception of full employment is now emerging: even though the unemployment rate is very low, the country is not at full employment since stimulating demand raises the participation rate and the employment rate, i.e. attracts new people to the labour market , who find jobs. Under this new conception, full employment is only achieved when the participation rate (the proportion of the working-age population in the labour market) can no longer rise.