Millions of Americans are working harder than ever yet feel constantly one setback away from crisis. Layoffs, illness, rising prices, or a missed paycheck can quickly spiral into long-term instability. This insecurity is not the result of individual failure—it is the product of deep structural changes in how the economy creates, rewards, and protects work.
At the core of today’s economic insecurity are three powerful forces: outsourcing, automation, and artificial intelligence. Over decades, jobs that once provided stable wages and predictable careers were moved overseas, replaced by machines, or reorganized around technology that reduced labor demand. Each shift increased efficiency and profits, but also weakened the link between work and security for millions of workers.
As these forces accelerated, the systems that once absorbed disruption—strong labor standards, employer-provided benefits, predictable career ladders, and public safeguards—failed to adapt. Risk was shifted away from firms and onto individuals and families. The result is an economy where employment is more fragile, wages are less reliable, and economic shocks are more frequent and harder to recover from.
Understanding economic insecurity means understanding these underlying drivers.
Below are the major forces reshaping work and risk in the modern economy—and why addressing them is essential to restoring stability and opportunity.
Millions of jobs have been relocated or restructured to take advantage of lower labor costs abroad. This weakens wage growth, increases job instability, and leaves workers competing in a global market with fewer protections and less bargaining power. Learn more.
Automation has steadily replaced routine and middle-skill tasks across manufacturing, logistics, retail, and services. While productivity has increased, the benefits have not reliably translated into stable, well-paying jobs for displaced workers. Learn more.
AI is no longer limited to repetitive tasks—it increasingly affects professional, clerical, and creative work. Rapid adoption is reshaping jobs faster than training systems, labor protections, or income supports can respond. Learn more.
Groceries and household basics are expenses families can’t avoid, yet prices have risen faster than paychecks in many communities. Market concentration and fragile supply chains make costs more volatile and harder to control. Restoring affordability means strengthening competition and making essential markets work better for consumers. Learn more.
Work has become more flexible—and far less secure. Millions of Americans now rely on gig, contract, or on-demand work that offers little stability, few benefits, and unpredictable income. When work shifts risk onto workers instead of employers, economic insecurity becomes a permanent condition rather than a temporary setback. Learn more.
At the heart of the affordability crisis is a growing mismatch: the cost of essentials has risen faster than wages in many sectors. Addressing affordability requires not just lowering prices where possible, but also closing the structural gap between earnings and the real cost of living—so economic growth actually translates into a better standard of life. Learn more.
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.