The idea of active population is used in the field of economics to refer to the population sector of a nation that is of age to carry out work activities . This group includes people with jobs and those who do not have one .
Therefore, we can establish that the active population of a country is the result of the sum of the employed population, which is the one that has a job, whether employed or self-employed, and the unemployed or unemployed population.
All individuals who, by age , are legally able to work, make up the active population. It can be said, therefore, that the active population is equivalent to the labor market .
It is important to know the etymological origin of the two words that make up the term at hand. Thus, first of all, population derives from Latin. Specifically, it was formed by joining the noun “populus”, which means “group of male citizens”, and the suffix “-cion”, which is used to indicate “action and effect”.
Activa also comes from Latin. In his case, it emanates from “activus”, which is the result of adding “actum”, which is the supine of the verb “agere” (to move forward), and the suffix “-ivus”, which is used to determine a “relationship”. active or passive.”
Another way to understand the active population is as all of the employed and unemployed in a country . The unemployment rate (or unemployment rate ), in this framework, is given by the percentage of the active population that lacks a job .
In addition to all of the above, we cannot ignore that in Spain the Active Population Survey (EPA) is carried out periodically, specifically quarterly. Specifically, it is a research whose main objective is to know the "workforce data" in its different categories and also those of the so-called inactive.
It is important to know that this aforementioned survey has been carried out in the country since the 1960s, specifically since 1964. Specifically, the organization in charge of carrying it out is none other than the National Institute of Statistics (INE) and for this purpose it using a methodology established in 2005.
The activity rate , on the other hand, is spoken of as the quotient between the economically active population (that is, that effectively produces wealth) and the population that is of working age. Since the progressive incorporation of women into the labor market, the activity rate has grown in recent decades.
It is important to keep in mind that there are debates about the inclusion in the active population of people who do not have a job and are not looking for one. In some cases, this population sector is referred to as the inactive population .
This consideration regarding those who lack a job and are not looking to find one is key when calculating the unemployment rate . If this group is included in the active population, the level of unemployment is higher compared to that recorded if it is excluded.