In the US, how many people work for the government?

Starters
Written By Jonathan Milner

Critical Analysis

Find answers to the following questions using the visual above, any links below, your big brain, and your knowledge of American government and politics:

  1. The federal government's Office of Personnel Management tracks the number of people who work for the government. Based on the visual above, as of 2021 what was the total number of government (combined federal, state, and local) employees?

  2. Based on the visual above, as of 2000 what was the total number of government (combined federal, state, and local) employees?

  3. Based on the visual above, describe the trend in the number of government employees over time.

  4. What is your best explanation for those changes?

  5. Federal government workers include: civilian government workers, members of the military, workers of government enterprises like the US Postal Service or Amtrak. State and local government employment includes people who work in education, other government workers, and workers in state or local government-owned enterprises like utility companies. Based on the visual below* approximately what portion of the roughly 20.5 million government workers are employed by state or local governments?

  6. Do you personally know or interact with more people who work for the federal or state and local government?

  7. Based on your knowledge of American liberal and conservative ideology, make a claim about which ideology would prefer to cut the number of federal employees.

  8. Based on the visual below* what is the sector (or type) of government employee is the largest in number?

  9. In countries with unitary governments (Ireland, Romania, Norway, for example), the national government has almost total power relative to state and local governments. In areas with confederal governments (America under the Article of Confederation, the European Union under it’s current arrangement) he national government has almost no power relative to state and local governments. Countries with federal governments (Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates) share power between national and state and local governments. Based on the visuals below*, draw a conclusion about what form of government the United States has.

  10. Based on your knowledge of American political history, explain why the U.S. has the form of government you identified in the previous question.

Write and Discuss

Take ten minutes to write about the question at the top of the page and then discuss with your classmates.

Act on your Learning

Contact President Joe Biden and tell him whether he should work to increase or decrease the number of federal employees.

Get Creative

If the US government were a grocery store chain what chain would it be?

Learning Extension

Check out all the USA Facts charts and visuals about American government workers.

Glossary

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Jonathan Milner

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