ABSTRACT
Unemployment is perhaps the most tragic of capitalism’s recurrent economic problems. Idle workers not only diminish the quantity of potential goods and services, unemployment can also be a protracted nightmare for those afflicted. Meg Cox explains how a number of International Harvester workers in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, had set up their own small, part-time business. The “moonlighting entrepreneurs” not only made extra income from their self-directed, part-time businesses, but also made their lives more interesting by these outside activities. Thus, the “model” corporation would offer employees part-time arrangements to start up their own businesses. In addition, the mother firm would provide market research services to survey potentially profitable niches within the local economy. Such an arrangement may lead to productivity benefits for the farsighted company that initiates such a program, psychic security for the semi-independent employees and, finally, if accomplished on a large scale, economic benefits for the nation.
