The argument that joblessness is primarily a result of individual skill gaps ("learn to code"), a lack of motivation, or an overly generous safety net, rather than a structural feature of capitalist economies (e.g., cyclical crises, automation for profit, offshoring). The unemployed are framed as a residual, problematic class.
Example: During an economic downturn, pundits blame unemployment on workers being "too picky" or on unemployment benefits "disincentivizing work." This unemployment rationalization ignores the collapse of aggregate demand and corporate layoffs, placing the burden of systemic failure on the individual's supposed moral or technical deficiencies.
by Abzugal February 8, 2026
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