CONTENTS

Preface to the 2021 Edition

ix

Chapter 1. What the Whole World Wants Is a Good Job

1

Part I The Problem: The Great Recession Exposed Underlying Fractures

Chapter 2. Unemployment and Its Consequences

15

Chapter 3. Wage Growth and the Lack of It

47

Chapter 4. The Semi-Slump and the Housing Market

78

Chapter 5. Underemployment

118

Part II The Response to the Great Recession

Chapter 6. Something Horrible Happened

151

Chapter 7. Sniffing the Air and Spotting the Great Recession

181

Chapter 8. The People Have Lost Their Pep

212

Chapter 9. Somebody Has to Be Blamed

238

Chapter 10. Disastrous Cries for Help

264

Part III What to Do?

Chapter 11. Full Employment

297

Chapter 12. Put the Pedal to the Metal

316

Appendix

349

Acknowledgments

353

Dedication

355

Notes

357

References

389

Index

423