International labour review

FOR some years past various international organisations have drawn attention, in the course of their work, to the serious problem raised in many countries by the inadequacy of available employment. Since this underemployment of the labour force, with all that it entails for the people's standard of living, is usually a characteristic sign of economic underdevelopment, a knowledge of this phenomenon is essential in framing schemes of social reform and economic development.

The causes and effects of underemployment are many and have frequently been described and analysed in works on economic theory. Nevertheless, little effort has been made so far to measure its extent in different parts of the world, particularly in the economically backward countries, where it becomes more acute as demo graphic pressure increases. In the highly industrialised countries underemployment is usually only marginal and somewhat secondary, at least during periods of prosperity, and the scanty statistics available on certain features of partial unemployment are generally felt to be sufficient.