Final answer:
The statement about the unemployment rate declining is a positive statement. It reflects actual data rather than opinions, similar to normative statements. Over time, despite many changes, the unemployment rate has not shown a significant long-term trend.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement 'The unemployment rate has been declining for the past 4 years' is a positive statement because it can be tested and verified with data. Positive statements are factual and describe what is, whereas normative statements are based on opinions and describe what ought to be. Despite the changes in the workforce over time, including the entry of women into the labor force, technological advancements, and globalization, the overall trend has shown no significant long-term upward or downward trend in unemployment rates. This resilience of the labor market reflects the natural rate of unemployment, which balances out due to a variety of economic, social, and political factors in a healthy economy.