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The only argument in favour of minimum wage is that if set at a low enough level it does not seem to have a detrimental effect on core prosperity metrics like e

The only argument in favour of minimum wage is that if set at a low enough level it does not seem to have a detrimental effect on core prosperity metrics like employment rate. Proponents never attempt to claim any positive effect or show evidence of it. It doesn't reduce unemployment. It doesn't reduce poverty. In many situations it hurts young people who are trying to break into an industry, low income workers and small businesses. It also incentivizes undocumented ('under the table') employment. It's very much like rent control - a policy that feels good, but either doesn't do anything or more likely actually causes pain.

nfw2 5y ago
The positive effect is that some workers will earn higher wages. One obviously wouldn't expect it to affect unemployment in a positive way. It also wouldn't affect poverty in a positive way if the affected workers weren't below the poverty line to begin with.
- macspoofing 5y ago
  >The positive effect is that some workers will earn higher wages. Right. And other workers are hurt by it. Leading to net negative outcome, or a wash.
  - nfw2 5y ago
    My claim wasn't that the net outcome is positive. I was countering the claim that there weren't any arguments in favor of minimum wage. I don't think a strong argument can be made about the net outcome without real data.
guerrilla 5y ago
The only argument except all the ethical ones. > Proponents never attempt to claim any positive effect or show evidence of it Like workers being able to afford food?
- djbebs 5y ago
  You cant afford food when you dont have a job.
  - guerrilla 5y ago
    That's why nobody in Europe has a job. Ok.
- macspoofing 5y ago
  >The only argument except all the ethical ones. Those are ethical arguments! If your hours are cut, or you can't find work or small business goes bankrupt due to enforced minimum wage, then whether or not to implement this policy is an ethical consideration! >Like workers being able to afford food? Minimum wage doesn't fix that. Minimum wage does not show any measure of improvement on any metric we care about like poverty rates. And that's in the best case scenario. In many cases, it has a demonstrable negative effect.

nfw2 5y ago

The positive effect is that some workers will earn higher wages. One obviously wouldn't expect it to affect unemployment in a positive way. It also wouldn't affect poverty in a positive way if the affected workers weren't below the poverty line to begin with.

macspoofing 5y ago
>The positive effect is that some workers will earn higher wages. Right. And other workers are hurt by it. Leading to net negative outcome, or a wash.
- nfw2 5y ago
  My claim wasn't that the net outcome is positive. I was countering the claim that there weren't any arguments in favor of minimum wage. I don't think a strong argument can be made about the net outcome without real data.

guerrilla 5y ago

The only argument except all the ethical ones. > Proponents never attempt to claim any positive effect or show evidence of it Like workers being able to afford food?

djbebs 5y ago
You cant afford food when you dont have a job.
- guerrilla 5y ago
  That's why nobody in Europe has a job. Ok.
macspoofing 5y ago
>The only argument except all the ethical ones. Those are ethical arguments! If your hours are cut, or you can't find work or small business goes bankrupt due to enforced minimum wage, then whether or not to implement this policy is an ethical consideration! >Like workers being able to afford food? Minimum wage doesn't fix that. Minimum wage does not show any measure of improvement on any metric we care about like poverty rates. And that's in the best case scenario. In many cases, it has a demonstrable negative effect.