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The '''misery index''' is an economic indicator, created by economist Arthur Okun. It is the unemployment rate added to the inflation rate. It is assumed that both a higher rate of unemployment and a worsening of inflation both create economic and social costs for a country. A combination of rising inflation and more people of out of work implies a deterioration in economic performance and a rise in the misery index.

The '''misery index''' is an economic indicator that adds the unemployment rate to the inflation rate. Created by economist Arthur Okun, the index is based on the assumption that both a higher rate of unemployment and a worsening of inflation both create economic and social costs for a country. A combination of rising inflation and more people of out of work implies a deterioration in economic performance and a rise in the misery index.

During the Presidential campaign of 1976, [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] candidate, [[Jimmy Carter]], made frequent references to the misery index, which by the summer of 1976 was at 13.57%. Carter stated that no man responsible for giving a country a misery index that high, had a right to even ask to be [[President of the United States]]. He won the 1976 election. However, by 1980, when President Carter was running for re-election against [[Ronald Reagan]], the misery index had reached an all-time high of 21.98%. Carter lost the election to Reagan in a landslide.

During the Presidential campaign of 1976, [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] candidate, [[Jimmy Carter]], made frequent references to the misery index, which by the summer of 1976 was at 13.57%. Carter stated that no man responsible for giving a country a misery index that high, had a right to even ask to be [[President of the United States]]. He won the 1976 election. However, by 1980, when President Carter was running for re-election against [[Ronald Reagan]], the misery index had reached an all-time high of 21.98%. Carter lost the election to Reagan in a landslide.