The figures also showed big rises in youth unemployment, particularly men, and long-term joblessness.

Underlining such distortions, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development warned bluntly in a report published this month that generous unemployment benefits could be adding to long-term joblessness in Europe.

The Economic Policy Institute and the National Employment Law Project, in a joint analysis of newly released data, reported a disturbing increase in long-term joblessness.

However, he warned that long-term joblessness would damage human capital and affect Britain's output if unaddressed.

Part of the problem lies with long-term joblessness that characterizes the United States' economic crisis.

But business leaders are increasingly concerned over rising youth unemployment, with 16 to 24 year-olds facing the "scarring effect" that comes from long-term joblessness at an early age.

This would be similar to the help offered during the recession of a decade ago when long-term joblessness, especially in manufacturing, was hardly the problem it is now.

Compared with the fluctuations of the business cycle, long-term joblessness presents far tougher social, political and economic challenges.

Wessel is right, of course, that the unemployment rate remains stubbornly high-the rise in long-term joblessness is particularly worrying-but other economic trends are pointing up.

Unemployment, it is true, stands at a disquieting 2.2 million, or 8.9 percent of the work force, but no political party has come forward with a remedy for long-term joblessness.