Making America Work: Alfred P. Murrah Professorship Inaugural Lecture

Abstract:     
Work. Hard work! And plenty of it. That is what has made the United States into the world's foremost economic superpower. But while we Americans value and respect work, we are also concerned about economic justice. We like to see all workers earn a fair day's pay for a fair day's work. And we like having a safety net to catch those who cannot compete successfully in our labor markets. America works because of this balance between the desire to reward work and our concerns about economic justice. But America could work even better.

This article explains how current government policies influence work and work behavior and makes the case for changing government tax, welfare, Social Security, pension, and labor market policies to encourage work and promote greater economic justice. It is a clear, provocative declaration of principles and a bold prescription for policies that restore and preserve the balance of work rewards and economic justice.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 20

Accepted Paper Series