--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When we reject unemployment as an…" description: "\"When we reject unemployment as an economic instrument as we do and when we reject also superficial remedies, as socialists must, then we must ask ourse..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3e/james-callaghan-22434_asks_when-we-reject-unemployment-as-an-econom_1154173.png" --- # When we reject unemployment as an economic instrument as… ![“When we reject unemployment as an economic instrument as we do and when we reject also superficial remedies, as socialists must, then we must ask ourselves unflinchingly what is the cause of high unemployment. Quite simply and unequivocally, it is caused by paying ourselves more than the value of…” quote by James Callaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3e/james-callaghan-22434_asks_when-we-reject-unemployment-as-an-econom_1154173.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3e/james-callaghan-22434_asks_when-we-reject-unemployment-as-an-econom_1154173.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3e/james-callaghan-22434_asks_when-we-reject-unemployment-as-an-econom_1154173.png) > “When we reject unemployment as an economic instrument as we do and when we reject also superficial remedies, as socialists must, then we must ask ourselves unflinchingly what is the cause of high unemployment. Quite simply and unequivocally, it is caused by paying ourselves more than the value of what we produce. There are no scapegoats.” [James Callaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-callaghan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. High unemployment stems from wages exceeding productive value, not external scapegoats. **In simple terms:** Pay exceeds productivity causes job loss. Key Takeaway Align wages with output. Themes economics employment policy inequality Mood analytical critical Type political economic When to use this quote - government budgeting - business wage setting - labor negotiations - education on economics Key Concepts labor value productivity wage theory Questions to Reflect On - How can wages be adjusted without harming workers? - What policies ensure wages reflect productivity? A Different Perspective Ignoring productivity can ignore market signals and cause inflation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Remedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remedy/) [Scapegoat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scapegoat/) [Unemployment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unemployment/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) ## Related quotes > [History shows that tax increases during a recession are a recipe for greater unemployment and economic loss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sessions/history-shows-that-tax-increases-during-a-recession-are-a-recipe-for/) [Pete Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sessions/) > [It is a fact that, if I single out Germany, our rate of growth is too low and we have very high unemployment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/it-is-a-fact-that-if-i-single-out-germany-our-rate-of-growth-is-too/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [What's really clear to all of us in the business community is that GDP is slowing everywhere. And the reason is productivity has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-rifkin/what-s-really-clear-to-all-of-us-in-the-business-community-is-that/) [Jeremy Rifkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-rifkin/) > [One of the causes of the Arab Spring was high unemployment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-dehaze/one-of-the-causes-of-the-arab-spring-was-high-unemployment/) [Alain Dehaze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-dehaze/) > [On the political as on the economic front it's important not to fall into the "not as bad as" trap. High unemployment isn't O.K.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/on-the-political-as-on-the-economic-front-it-s-important-not-to-fall/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [Anyone who has lived in an area with high unemployment knows how it erodes social bonds, lowers the resilience of the unemployed and their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharan-burrow/anyone-who-has-lived-in-an-area-with-high-unemployment-knows-how-it/) [Sharan Burrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharan-burrow/) > [The Millennials graduated into the worst jobs market in 80 years. That did not just mean a few years of high unemployment, or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-lowrey/the-millennials-graduated-into-the-worst-jobs-market-in-80-years-that/) [Annie Lowrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-lowrey/) > [Enterprise Washington is economic development in areas of high unemployment around the state of Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-lowry/enterprise-washington-is-economic-development-in-areas-of-high/) [Mike Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-lowry/) > [I don't wanna see high unemployment levels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolmayan/i-don-t-wanna-see-high-unemployment-levels/) [John Dolmayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolmayan/) > [The long-range sloution to high unemployment is to increase the incentive for ordinary people to save, invest, work, and employ others. We make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-long-range-sloution-to-high-unemployment-is-to-increase-the/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [What happened in Queensland is that people are facing high unemployment relative to other states - 5.7 per cent when I last checked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-newman/what-happened-in-queensland-is-that-people-are-facing-high/) [Campbell Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-newman/) > [If you scapegoat someone, it's a third party that will be aware of it. It won't be you. Because you will believe you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rene-girard/if-you-scapegoat-someone-it-s-a-third-party-that-will-be-aware-of-it/) [Rene Girard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rene-girard/) > [But while capitalism may be a convenient scapegoat, it did not cause any of these problems. Indeed, whatever one wishes to call the unruly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaron-brook/but-while-capitalism-may-be-a-convenient-scapegoat-it-did-not-cause/) [Yaron Brook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaron-brook/) > [“I don't have sympathy for people who wrap themselves in injury caused by their inability to deal with personal inadequacies and refusal to learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-mills/i-don-t-have-sympathy-for-people-who-wrap-themselves-in-injury-caused/) Nikki Mills > [They change scapegoats at the networks more regularly than some people change socks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-ellison/they-change-scapegoats-at-the-networks-more-regularly-than-some/) [Harlan Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-ellison/) ## More by James Callaghan > [I have not the slightest doubt that the economic measures and the Socialist measures which one will find in countries of Eastern Europe, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-callaghan/i-have-not-the-slightest-doubt-that-the-economic-measures-and-the/) [James Callaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-callaghan/) > [Those who advocate devaluation are calling for a reduction in the wage levels and the real wage standards of every member of the working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-callaghan/those-who-advocate-devaluation-are-calling-for-a-reduction-in-the/) [James Callaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-callaghan/) > [A leader has to appear consistent. That doesn't mean he has to be consistent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-callaghan/a-leader-has-to-appear-consistent-that-doesn-t-mean-he-has-to-be/) [James Callaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-callaghan/) > [I sum up the prospects for 1967 in three short sentences. We are back on course. The ship is picking up speed. The economy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-callaghan/i-sum-up-the-prospects-for-1967-in-three-short-sentences-we-are-back/) [James Callaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-callaghan/) > [A leader must have the courage to act against an expert's advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-callaghan/a-leader-must-have-the-courage-to-act-against-an-expert-s-advice/) [James Callaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-callaghan/) > [There are no instant solutions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-callaghan/there-are-no-instant-solutions/) [James Callaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-callaghan/) > [We used to think that you could spend your way out of a recession and increase employment by cutting taxes and boosting government spending.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-callaghan/we-used-to-think-that-you-could-spend-your-way-out-of-a-recession-and/) [James Callaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-callaghan/) > [If the law is a bad law, there is always the contingent right to take action that you would not otherwise take.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-callaghan/if-the-law-is-a-bad-law-there-is-always-the-contingent-right-to-take/) [James Callaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-callaghan/) > [It is quite clear from what has been said and written that, time after time after time, there has been a conspiracy between the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-callaghan/it-is-quite-clear-from-what-has-been-said-and-written-that-time-after/) [James Callaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-callaghan/) > [If Britain becomes a member of the Community, it will be healthier for Britain, advantageous for Europe, and a gain for the whole world.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-callaghan/if-britain-becomes-a-member-of-the-community-it-will-be-healthier-for/) [James Callaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-callaghan/) > [If we have to prove our Europeanism by accepting that French is the dominant language in the Community, then my answer is quite clear,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-callaghan/if-we-have-to-prove-our-europeanism-by-accepting-that-french-is-the/) [James Callaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-callaghan/) > [I am not proposing to seek your votes because there is a blue sky ahead today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-callaghan/i-am-not-proposing-to-seek-your-votes-because-there-is-a-blue-sky/) [James Callaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-callaghan/) > [I hate putting up taxes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-callaghan/i-hate-putting-up-taxes/) [James Callaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-callaghan/) > [I've never been one to say that Britain was joining a happy band of brothers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-callaghan/i-ve-never-been-one-to-say-that-britain-was-joining-a-happy-band-of/) [James Callaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-callaghan/) > [I am rather in favour of dealing with teenage hooliganism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-callaghan/i-am-rather-in-favour-of-dealing-with-teenage-hooliganism/) [James Callaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-callaghan/) [Explore all 27 James Callaghan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-callaghan/) ## More Asks quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. 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And suddenly forever seems like too short a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-andreas/there-is-nothing-more-i-ask-of-this-life-than-this-moment-exactly-so/) [Brian Andreas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-andreas/) > [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [The most fundamental question we can ever ask ourselves is whether or not the universe we live in is friendly or hostile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-most-fundamental-question-we-can-ever-ask-ourselves-is-whether-or/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) > [For someone to ask 'Who did you play for' and to be able to answer a single name 'Liverpool' that would be brilliant...I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/for-someone-to-ask-who-did-you-play-for-and-to-be-able-to-answer-a/) [Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/) > [I have no hesitation in saying that although the American woman never leaves her domestic sphere and is in some respects very dependent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-have-no-hesitation-in-saying-that-although-the-american-woman-never/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Ask God for temp'rance. That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I don't know how to say it exactly. Only...I want to die as myself. Does that make any sense?' he asks. 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