Final answer:
The service sector of the economy experienced virtually all job growth in the past two decades, with a significant increase in service jobs and a decline in manufacturing and a modest uptick in government jobs.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student asked about the sector of the economy where virtually all job growth has occurred in the past two decades. From the provided data, it's clear that the service sector experienced significant growth in job numbers, outpacing other sectors such as manufacturing and government. The service sector includes a diverse range of jobs, from high-paying positions such as computer programming to lower-paying roles like retail jobs.
Since the late 1970s, manufacturing jobs peaked and then declined by more than a third, while government jobs increased only modestly until 1990 and then experienced a slight decline. The service sector, on the other hand, saw a dramatic rise, now constituting the largest portion of the United States workforce and contributing significantly to GDP. This growth has been associated with economic bifurcation, leading to increasing income inequality, with some regions benefiting from higher-quality service jobs while others faced lower-paying alternatives.
The dominance of the service industry is reflected in the GDP composition and labor distribution, highlighting a shift from a manufacturing-based economy to one that is service-oriented. This reflects broader economic trends and changes in the American job landscape over the past few decades.