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Consequences of raising the minimum wage
Consequences of raising the minimum wage
Consequences of raising the minimum wage
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One of the most commonly asked questions in our society is whether or not the government should raise the minimum wage. While raising the minimum wage would not only lift individuals out of poverty, but it would also put our economy in danger. Raising minimum wage in the United States will destroy the economy because it will increase inflation, raise the unemployment rate and decrease corporations’ fundings due to labor cost. Raising minimum wage in the United States will affect our economy because of the high rates of cost living caused by inflation. Many people are constantly complaining about the low pay they receive in their checks by the end of the week. They constantly complain about the fact that they can barely afford to pay their bills, and if they do, these people will end with their pockets empty by the end of the day. Well, we all have been there before and despite the fact that it is hurting us inside it could be worse. The truth is that if the government chooses to raise the minimum wage, they will automatically figure out a way to maintain a balance in our economy, which is usually inflation. The government will simultaneously skyrocket the prices in food products, rent and …show more content…
It can cause inflation, forcing civilians to limit their lives according to what they have in their pockets making their lives a little bit more difficult. Also raising the minimum wage will cause unemployment because now the owners of different companies have a shorter mortgage and have to make some adjustments in their business which apparently seems to be getting fired some employees. Furthermore, increasing the minimum wage will lower the funds and resources that many companies need to run their business, because now besides of paying more to get the resources they also have to pay their employees more. Indeed raising the minimum wage nationwide will affect our economy, not benefit the
“Franklin Roosevelt’s 1937 impassioned speech calling on Congress to help the one-third of Americans who were “ill-housed, ill-clad, and ill-nourished” heralded in the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 and with it a national minimum wage. Echoes of that speech are still heard today. Senator Edward Kennedy (1989: S14707), in his criticism of the most recent increases in the minimum wage, declared:
Understanding the basic concept of minimum wage is important for every single individual. We all live in this world together and it is obvious that there is an order. In order to continue our lives and afford our basic needs, we all need to work and gain wealth. As the old adage says ‘‘There ain’t a such a thing as a free lunch.’’ We need to give up on something that we like to get something else that we like. That’s why, every single individual in the society face trade-offs. However, people have different status. Some people work as employees and some work as employers. In that case of minimum wage the trade off is between employees and employers. Employees work for employers in order to gain money and afford their minimal living expenses whereas employers give up on their money and pay for employees because employers take care of their need of labor. Employers pay for their workers who we call employees and employees gain hourly money. The calculated minimum money that they gain in an hour base called minimum wages. Besides, there is this cycle that everyone actually works
Although raising the minimum wage won’t eliminate poverty as poverty can never be eliminated. It could help with lowering the poverty rate. The “inactive” unemployed Americans lack motivation, because they can’t support themselves with the money earned. It simply is not enough. As the cost of living rises, minimum wage stays stagnant. This is not balanced at all. If minimum wage back in 1968 was doable, raising it now could not kill the economy. Increasing the minimum wage could be an incentive for workers to finally seek jobs again; prompting growth in the economy and lower down poverty levels in many ways. The quality of a job is just as important when creating quantity of jobs. What lacks in the U.S right now is the incentives to make Americans want to do better. Raising the minimum wage could stimulate the desire to work and get around, possibly pursuing more education to climb the ladder to get higher in the economic
Minimum wage is a difficult number to decide on because it affects different income earning citizens in different ways. According to Principles of Microeconomics, by N. Gregory Mankiw, minimum wage is a law that establishes the lowest price for labor that and employer may pay (Mankiw 6-1b). Currently, the minimum wage in the United States is $7.25 per hour. For many years politicians and citizens have argued on what should be the minimum wage that would benefit the economy and society in general. A minimum wage was first established in 1938 to increase the standard of living of lower class workers. To discuss what is better for the country and its citizens, people have to understand what is a minimum wage and what are its effects.
There are indeed risks of raising the minimum wage, but the rewards outweigh those risks, so the minimum wage should be raised. Some people who are against this may say ...“But other economists say raising the minimum wage actually hurts the very people it's designed to help: One of the basic laws of economics is that if you raise the price of something, there will be less demand for it. In this case, if you raise the price of workers, the demand for workers will decline. That could mean companies cutting the hours of employees, laying them off, or hiring fewer workers in the future.”... Yes, it could hurt the people it is designed to help, but different states have done this and found the opposite to be true. With America’s still fragile economy we need a boost, a helping hand; And this could be it. So next time you go down to vote on a mayor or maybe even the next president, remember that raising the minimum wage is a good thing, and you should be supporting
Since the cost of living has gone up drastically, raising the minimum wage is the right thing to do to boost the economy, lift workers morale and productivity, and improve the self sufficiency of potentially millions of American workers. Raising the minimum wage is a vital step in decreasing poverty and giving every family the opportunity to survive and succeed. Even businesses agree raising the minimum wage would give many customers more money to spend in turn increasing sales and higher profits for the companies. Therefore, raising the minimum wage would help and not hurt the economy and it would give many Americans a better livelihood and a more secured life. In today’s society it is very expensive to live in American and even getting by daily is difficult if you are living on minimum wage. Therefore, anyone who thinks the minimum wage should not be raised should try living in
People will lose their jobs to keep businesses running. Teens and college kids will not have a place in the workforce causing them to start off with financial problems. The economy could fall apart from the cost of living increasing too much too fast. People would argue that it is better to raise the minimum wage but they are misinformed. They want change but the wrong kind. We need to fight for more jobs and better education. If it was easier for these low-skilled people to get more skills then they can get their higher paying jobs without affecting everybody. The only time the minimum wage should increase if because of inflation. There is a point where it does get too low but a dollar or two is very different from six. The minimum wage is low for a reason. Let’s not change something that is there to
One of the most talked about subjects in the U.S economy is the topic of minimum wage. With president Obama working to increase the minimum wage to 10.10$ per hour people, both economists and politicians alike, have been debating whether or not raising the bar is a smart idea. At a time when the country the country’s inflation continues to rise at a steady pace and Americans are constantly working to feed their families, some economists know that a raise in the minimum wage would help elevate some of the difficulty. The last time the federal minimum wage was raised was in July of 2009, where rose from 6.55$ to 7.25$. However there are plenty of reasons as to why the wage should be raised. Some may not think it, but raising the federal wage could very well assist the U.S with some of its largest economic problems; the increasing standard of living in the U.S, the recession in the economy, and even the ever inflating U.S national debt.
Raising the minimum will end up hurting Americans more than helping them. The people that are for raising minimum wage are people who believe that increasing minimum wage can help those people who are unskilled and need an income they can live on. Yet, raising minimum wage would do the opposite and make employers have to fire people who earn minimum wage, because they can't afford the higher wages. People need to realize that increasing the minimum wage would hurt people more than help them. In the end increasing minimum wage would result in some people being let go, for the reason, businesses can't afford paying them minimum wage anymore.
These are just a few of the many awful effects that raising the minimum wage brings. When workers hear a raise in the minimum wage, all they think about is a bigger paycheck and not what will happen to low-skilled workers, the cost of living, and the added stress to unemployment rates. New workers with less skills will have a harder time finding a job. The cost of living is going to hike due to inflation. Unemployment rates will rise due to added stress on businesses. An increase in the minimum wage is great news to a high schooler saving up to buy a new phone, but terrible news to someone trying to raise a family. If the minimum wage continues to increase, these problems will get worse instead of
It is very difficult to live in America if you are living off of minimum wage, and many Americans are living off of it today. Raising minimum wages has its benefits like gaining more money to live better, but people do not see the down side of the increases in wages. With the increase in minimum wage, it also causes the cost of living to increase. How can this help the economy or help people? Minimum wages in America should not be increased because it will cause cost of living to increase, reduce employment, and cause businesses to lose money and workers.
According to the United States Department of Labor in 2012, “3.6 million workers earned wages at or below the federal minimum wage standard.” Minimum wage is a social problem that affects millions of people. There are several reasons minimum wage should be increased and it would affect the whole country in a more positive way. The government should increase minimum wage because the current minimum wage is not enough for living expenses, it helps to reduce the number of those on government assistance, and it would help boost the economy.
Raising the minimum wage will prove to be detrimental as it will take away opportunities for high school students to gain insight and explore different career options. Additionally, it will also reduce the unemployment rate, making it harder for the working poor to meet their basic needs in order to survive. Thereby, raising the minimum wage is not a feasible option because it will only deteriorate situations for the labor force.
Minimum wage has been a topic that has divided our nation for a while now. Some say there should be an increase in the minimum wage while others say the should not be. In my Argument today, I will be in support for the raising of the minimum wage. If the minimum wage is to be increased, it will provide low-income family with money to spend. Furthermore, the more people spend, the better the economy so raising the minimum wage will boost our economy. And finally, raising the minimum wage will reduce the gab between the rich and the poor, which is also an issue in our nation.
Advocates of a higher minimum wage insist that a raise would significantly decrease the unemployment rate in the United States and improve the quality of life. However, there are conflicting opinions on this. Higher minimum wage would mean higher labor costs for business owners, thus making it more difficult for employers to maintain the amount of workers they have, let alone add new employees. Raising the minimum wage does not increase the value of the worker's labor; it increases the cost of the worker's labor. As a general rule, the more something costs, the less it people will buy.