No Job? Pay a Penalty!

Do you have a job?

 

No?

 

Then, get ready to pay a penalty.

 

That is exactly what a new decree, by President Alexander Lukashenko of the country of Belarus, wants from Belorusian citizens.

 

I found it interesting and amusing that, with this decree signed on April 2, this European country – which was once a soviet socialist republic – is imposing fines for being unemployed. 

 

Apparently, this is done to reduce ‘social parasites’ living on the state budget, without contributing to the economy.

 

This decree makes two assumptions.

 

One, that the country has full employment, and anybody seeking gainful employment will definitely get a job.

 

Two, that by penalizing those who are not actively working, the government can get everyone to work.

 

But let me tell you what came to my mind, first, when I heard the news.

 

I thought of many people who are actually ‘employed’, but do not do any real work.

 

I thought of many government employees who go to work, but only to twiddle their thumbs.

 

Of course, I know I am guilty of making a sweeping generalization here. But you will agree that this phenomenon is not endemic to any particular country.

 

Across the globe, government employees are known to have jobs that are more secure, pay-packets that are more thicker, and bank statements that are more credit-worthy, than those of the average citizens. And yet, they are known to put in much lesser work. 

Anyway, back to Belarus. This country is confident, I thought. In fact, so confident that it is ready to penalize the lazy, freeloaders, who are greedily munching into the state’s treasury.

 

I found out later, however, that this could be just a small part of a huge political game-plan.

 

According to a report in Belarus Digest published on 8 April, “The pre-election campaign programme of Alexander Lukashenka in 2010 claimed that by 2015 “everyone will be guaranteed a job”.

 

And according to official statistics, the Belorussian authorities have gotten pretty close to reaching their prescribed goal over the past two years. 

Officially, as of 1 March 2015, “Only 0.8% of Belorussians are officially registered as being unemployed”.

 

However, a study - published by the IPM (Institute for Privatization and Management) Research Centre, Minsk, Belarus - predicts that “Unemployment in Belarus of 8-9% may be just around the corner”.

 

So why did the President come out with this strange decree? 

You don’t need to be a political analyst to know that the decree hopes to give an impression that the president delivered what he promised. Jobs for all. And also that, by not taking up jobs, it is the lazy, freeloaders who are among the causes for bad economy.

 

Very clever. But I suspect that this soviet-style attempt, as it is being touted, to crack down on tax evaders, and people working in sectors of the economy outside of state control, will not work.

 

I agree that, in many countries, unemployment benefits could be a huge strain on the economy. But if ‘the state’ does not help the jobless, who will?

 

Despite budgetary constraints, and despite the fact that some lazy, ‘social parasites’ might take advantage of the benefits, I strongly believe, that it is the state’s role to not only provide jobs, but also to protect those who do not have jobs.

 

And, I believe, in many countries, it is in fact the huge budgets allocated for government employees that cause more damage.