230 million unemployed worldwide - the economic and social fallout

I was listening to BBC Business World today and came across this revealing and thoughtful interview on the global impact of the huge rise in joblessness. According to the UN’s International Labour Organisation, there are upwards of 230 million unemployed people on this planet, around seven per cent of the workforce. This is a figure set to rise sharply despite an upturn in the global economic cycle - for as we know, unemployment is a lagging indicator. It tends to turn around with a delay after demand and production has started to rise again.