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VOLUNTARY EXCHANGE: The process of willingly trading one item for another. The emphasis here is on "willingly." Voluntary exchanges are the heart and soul of market transactions, and should be contrasted with the "involuntary" exchanges mandated by government taxes, laws, and regulations. While involuntary government-forced exchanges play an important role in a mixed economy, economists really, really like voluntary market exchanges because they promote economic efficiency.
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                           LABOR FORCE: The total number of people in an economy, society, or country willing and able to exert mental and/or physical efforts in productive activities. The labor force is a more technical term for the labor resource or labor supply. It includes both employed workers and unemployed workers. An official variation of this term is civilian labor force. While labor force may or may not include military personnel, the civilian labor force explicitly excludes the military. Labor and labor resources are the theoretical terms that economists like to banter about. Labor force and civilian labor force are the terms of choice for government policy makers, data-crunchers, and others who need precise labor resource numbers. In principle, the labor force is everyone 16 years of age and over who is willing and able to work. It includes those who are either employed or unemployed, but actively seeking employment.- An employed person is specified as someone who: (1) is working as a paid employee, (2) is working with our without explicit pay in a business that they own, (3) is working at least 15 hours a week in a family-operated business, or (4) has had a paying job but is temporarily absent due to illness, vacation, labor dispute, etc.
- An unemployed person is specified as someone who: (1) has voluntarily or involuntarily left a job and is seeking another, (2) has been laid-off from a job but expects to be recalled within six months, (3) is seeking employment after an extended period without a job nor having looked for a job, or (4) is seeking employment for the very first time.
The labor force tends to be about half of the total population. This means that about half of the overall population is NOT included in the labor force. In addition to children under 16 years of age, other segments of society that generally lie outside the labor force designation include elderly, disabled, homemakers, students, prisoners, discouraged workers, and military personnel. In some cases, those excluded are unwilling to work (homemakers, students, and some elderly). In other cases, they are unable to work (children, prisoners, and other elderly). Whether or not military personnel are included in the labor force often depends on the particular analysis. At times, the term labor force is used generically to mean anyone working or potentially able to work, including military (as well as discouraged workers, homemakers, and others). In other cases, it is used synonymously with the more precise and technical term civilian labor force.
 Recommended Citation:LABOR FORCE, AmosWEB Encyclonomic WEB*pedia, http://www.AmosWEB.com, AmosWEB LLC, 2000-2026. [Accessed: June 6, 2026]. Check Out These Related Terms... | | | | | | | | | | | Or For A Little Background... | | | | | | | | | And For Further Study... | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Related Websites (Will Open in New Window)... | |
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YELLOW CHIPPEROON [What's This?]
Today, you are likely to spend a great deal of time watching infomercials trying to buy either a flower arrangement in a coffee cup for your father or a how-to book on meeting people. Be on the lookout for small children selling products door-to-door. Your Complete Scope
This isn't me! What am I?
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In 1914, Ford paid workers who were age 22 or older $5 per day -- double the average wage offered by other car factories.
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"I've always believed that if you put in the work, the results will come. I don't do things half-heartedly. Because I know if I do, then I can expect half-hearted results. " -- Michael Jordan, basketball player
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AIBD Association of International Bond Dealers (now called International Securities Market Association)
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