British government laid off 11 percent of public employees in a single year

Evidence

In 1920 and 1921 total civil employment fell from 19,537,000 to 17,417,000 (Feinstein 1972, Table T- 126), meaning that the government laid off 11 percent of all public employees in a single year. Th e Geddes Axe also contributed its share, saving the Treasury 5 percent in GDP through layoff s and cuts in wages. — Clara E. Mattei, The Capital Order, 950