An Historical Basis for Unemployment Insurance was first published in 1934. Minnesota Archive Editions uses digital technology to make long-unavailable books once again accessible, and are published unaltered from the original University of Minnesota Press editions.This is volume one of a two-volume study of unemployment insurance. The authors present a thorough and up-to-date analysis of systems of unemployment relief that have been tried in Great Britain, Germany, Belgium, and Switzerland, also the voluntary plans that have been worked out in the United States and the legislative plans that have been proposed. The European systems are compared with respect to basis of coverage, eligibility of the unemployed to receive benefits, source of insurance funds, amount and period of benefits, and administration. Definite trends in unemployment insurance are pointed out, and their application to proposed plans for the protection of American workers is considered. It is indispensable to all who are interested in unemployment insurance plans.