Also 'proper' temping removes people from the unemployment registers but much of the time can't be counted as a 'proper' job.

Although economically the concept of unemployment misses the point. Many people with full time jobs are unproductive time-servers who are effectively on corporate benefits - they turn up, write a few emails, sit in a few meetings, but wouldn't really be missed if they disappeared.

E.g. I can think of one company which makes 3D modelling and animation software. Every year or so they send me an update for review, which comes with:

A shiny presentation gimmick
A big pack full of paper in plastic binders, most of which no one reads
Special preview CD-Rs with pre-release software

The PR company that handles their account puts all of these packs together by hand. The preview copies always appear at least four weeks after they say they will. And the preview registration process never works.

So... I always download a cracked copy from the filesharing networks - the finished product is always available there, even if the PR people don't have it - and use that to write the review.

So what are these people for, exactly? They're contributing to GDP, but they're not doing anything that's any practical use to anyone.

Other people are frantically overemployed, doing the work of two or more people and putting in very long hours.

And there's also corporate puritanism which assumes that if you're not in the office for ten hours a day you're not pulling your weight, no matter how much of a contribution you actually make.

Even when people are being productive, it's often toxic productivity - selling more useless crap to people who don't need it and can't afford it.

The tyrannosaurus on the table is the fact that the concept of work is broken. The idea of working a set routine is madness. Many of the jobs people do are madness. Many of them would be happier and more productive doing other things.

But it's taboo to even suggest a restructuring which might free up some time outside of 'economic productivity' and also give people a chance to contribute in more spontaneous, self-directed and useful ways.