The Economic Performance Agency has delivered its report this morning, detailing the status of the Doatian economy. According to the EPA, the GDP has risen by 4.2%, the highest amount in 3 decades. While the economy has seen continued growth in several industries, unemployment and poverty have increased.
Poverty, defined in Doatia as residents earning less than $45,000/per year, increased from 7.6% to 15.6% over the last 12 months, an alarming rise. Mostly attributed to industries struggling under nationalization and Androids taking many jobs, the reality of automation is dealing damage across several sectors. 12% of law enforcement, 14% of manufacturing, 21% of ride shares, 7% of retail, and 11% of food industry jobs are being filled by androids.
There has also been slowed wage growth, with wages rising on average 2.1% over the last year. The minimum wage is $18/hour nationally, with the state of Fevliki having the highest minimum of $23/hour. The EPA says the national average living wage is $23.50/hour (based on a goal average income of $45,000.
Doatians have seen their disposable income rise to $12,800/year, the highest ever. The EPA, however, recommends an average disposable income $22,000/year. The average Doatian contributes $8,000/year in income taxes.
While most parties have mostly remained silent on the issue of the android workforce and rise in automation, the Conservative Party is advocating for economic investments and tax cuts to create jobs and instituting caps on androids working in the economy. The Progressive Socialists have hinted at the idea of lowering the retirement age and mandating that employers still contribute to social security reserves to cover the shortfall of new retirees and a reduced workforce.
How the issue will be addressed remains to be seen, as the Progressive Socialists will officially take over the Chamber tomorrow.
In terms of unemployment, the introduction of androids to the Doatian market has resulted in unemployment jumping to 14.6% from 3.4%. The Department of Labor has warned that the Unemployment Fund is in a major deficit and has proposed increasing the unemployment tax. Benefits have also starkly risen, also contributing to the gap in funding. The Mushiki Justice Party Chair, Linglewood Buroea a newcomer on the national stage, has suggested making 4-years of higher education mandatory, meaning Doatians wouldn’t officially graduate to the workforce until age 26, up from 22, to offset the lack of jobs in the market.
Doatians across the nation have been protesting androids, with Hunaqians protesting the clean-up effort in Hunaq, after the DRF uprising, as most of the work is being done by androids. A local resident saying: “This is our home, our community, our city. And instead of giving a struggling people a stake, a lifeline, in rebuilding home, they outsource to robots. They’re killing people here. People are struggling. Over 55% of the city remains inhabitable. Here in the wealthy Doatia, and politicians are silent on reigning back androids. Its unacceptable.”
Meanwhile the inflation index remains in the target range of 4.8% (goal: 3.5-5.5%)
Doatian Journal Economic Advisor Charlie Beno
