The Minimum Wage Law

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses how the policy regarding a minimum wage has evoked considerable debate in recent times between the conservatives and the liberals. The paper examines the four main arguments forwarded by the supporters and opponents of minimum wage increase. The paper is of the opinion that the minimum wage law is one of the proven tools that can help to lift a significant proportion of the population above the poverty line. The paper strongly contends that it is the duty of the government to protect the most vulnerable sections of society and prevent the unequal distribution of incomes.

Outline:
Introduction
Arguments For and Against the Minimum Wage Law
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"The need for a minimum wage law was felt largely due to the plight of the low-wage workers, especially women and children, who were forced to work in appalling conditions and for ridiculously low wages in the early decades after the Industrial Revolution. Unscrupulous employers ruthlessly exploited poorer workers by paying wages that were insufficient for meeting the necessities of life. In the United States, a widespread belief in the benefits of a laissez faire economy and suspicion against governmental interference prevented the adoption of a minimum wage law for a long time. However, cruel exploitation of workers by their employers during a superficial economic boom in the 1920s created dangerous levels of economic inequality, which was further worsened by the Great Depression."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Chipman, Kim. "Higher Minimum Wage No Longer Seen as Sure-Fire U.S. Job Killer." Bloomberg. Com. March 14, 2007 <http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=atp2MiOAZ3Xc>
• Dimock, Michael. "Maximum Support for Raising the Minimum." Pew Research Center Publications. April 19, 2006. March 14, 2007.http://pewresearch.org/pubs/18/maximum-support-for-raising-the-minimum
• Haussamen, Brock. "Overview: The Benefits of Raising the Federal Minimum Wage." The Minimum Wage: Information, Opinion, Research. N.d. March 14, 2007. <http://www.raiseminwage.org/id24.html>
• Hoar, William P. "Minimum Wage, Maximum Absurdity." The New American 28 Nov. 2005: 42+.
• Kibbe, Matthew B. "The Minimum Wage: Washington's Perennial Myth." Cato Policy Analysis No. 106 May 23, 1988. Cato Institute. March 14, 2007 <http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa106.html>

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• Persuasive Essay # 137083 : "Raising The Minimum Wage in Canada"

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