Date: Wed, 17 Aug 1994 10:26:48 -0500 (EST)
From: wesley david cecil <wcecil-AT-indiana.edu>
Subject: Re: Marxism and academia


Doug, you are quite correct that there are tons of useful stats published,
but the question is where do those stats come from.  For instance, what 
is the unemployment rate?  6.2% or something.  Of course this depends on 
how you count.  For instance, one major aspect, as I understand it, is
phone interviews of randomly selected households.  This requires reliance
on a statistical model to represent regional population densities etc. 
used to figure out at what point we have a "random" and "representitive"
sample.  Then, what are the questions you ask?  Recently, women who 
answered the phone were asked if they had been working in the home in the 
last 6 months, if they said yes, they were not counted as unemeployed.  
Of course we can see a problem or two here.  Add to this that poor people who
don't have phones are never going to receive this call . . . . stats look 
nice on the page but coming up with them is a whole different game.  Also 
recognize that many Left economists would put the unemployment rate at up to
12%, once again, it all depends on who youaks, what unemployment is, etc.
etc.
Wes


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