Cyclical Balanced Development of Economy and Society for Full Employment and National Happiness

Abstract

The ultimate goals of the economy are full employment and promoting the happiness of the people. This paper analyzes empirically the failures to achieve full employment and national happiness promotion despite long-term economic development in the economic policies of liberal, socialist, and socio-democratic regimes. It is emphasizing unused resources such as chronic unemployment and surplus of capital as the main reasons for these failures. To fulfill these main purposes, a cyclical equilibrium development model of economy and society is suggested here. The roles of civilians are also stressed to complement the failures of the market and governments. And To achieve the flexible movement of labor and the complete use of surplus labor and excessively accumulated capital, the monopolization of the markets, governments, and civil bodies including large unions of labor and professional occupations must be removed. The employment of workers with relatively weak labor abilities is contributory to enhancing national happiness by increasing social as well as economic value especially in the period of economic depression. Policy directions and several measures including deregulation of markets, the punitive taxations on the preventions of labor mobility and excessive replacement of labor with capital intensive methods, and the expansion of social enterprises are also provided to enable the model to be applied in Korea.