This was often because, as I learned when trying to hire employees at our local chamber of commerce, the benefit from taking a job was much less than the benefit one could receive from the government at that time while not working.
Andreas Dombret: The role of the state in the financial system Dinner speech by Dr Andreas Dombret, Member of the Executive Board of the Deutsche Bundesbank, at the ifo/ CESifo/ Bundesbank Conference, Munich, 14 September 2012. *  *  *  Of scientists and drivers Ladies and gentlemen, Please let me welcome you to tonight’s conference dinner.