Minimum Wage Laws Drive Businesses Out Of Their Home Country
Channel: Voluntary Virtues Network
Date: 02/10/2014

The topic of the minimum wage conjures images of child laborers, people working at near poverty level for minimal pay, and fast food worker strikes. Some Socialist concepts immediately come to mind such as, “We need to get paid a living wage! I have a right to live comfortably for the work I put in!” Before we dissect these specious assertions we must first isolate the emotional component from the equation and think logically. Without the proper application of rationality it is quite easy to get caught up in the frenzy of inane complaints. 

What is a living wage? Who determines this? Is it adjusted for inflation? I do not know the answer to any of these questions because I do not believe there is a suitable answer. A “living wage” for Bill Gates is vastly different than what a “living wage” would be a homeless man living on the streets of Manhattan. If an employer gives his employee a raise and the employee concludes that this is not yet a “living wage” does this mean the employer must continue to raise his salary until the employee is satisfied with a “living wage”? Does the skills and value that the employee contributes to the company factor into this equation? What about all the costs necessary for an entrepreneur to run his business, of which employee salaries are but one part? I hope the complexity of the situation can be understood and that shouting asinine phrase “living wage” does nothing but demonstrate the employee’s fundamental economic ignorance.

What is the “right to live comfortably”? In order to fully understand the puerility of this claim we must imagine ourselves stranded on a desert island with 9 other people. In such a context it is understood that each must work for the things they have in order to provide for themselves or trade with others. If one person simply refused to do any work and claimed “I have the right to live comfortably!” I would imagine the other 9 people to ridicule or perhaps ostracize such a person for not contributing in the same manner as everyone else. There is no right to live comfortably. There is only the proper compensation for the corresponding value that one’s labor provides to a company. If you are not satisfied with your salary do not complain to your employer or protest. Rather educate yourself, read books, learn new skills from other professionals, or start your own business! There is a myriad of ways you can improve your labor value. When you have more skills to offer a company it is more likely you will concomitantly get paid more for those skills. The responsibility always lies with the individual first and foremost! 

http://peacefulanarchism.com/minimum-wage-causes-more-unemployment-and-poverty/

“For every government action, there is an equal and opposite black market reaction.” Graham Dugas

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