Argumentative Essay On The Benefits Of Minimum Wage

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Recommended: History of the minimum wage

The minimum wage is a fairly recent addition to American economic policy: its origins in this country only date back to 1938 (Miller 2017, 97). Since that time, the standard wage has risen at irregular intervals. At times, its increase has corresponded to the rise of the average national wage; at other times, the increase of the minimum wage has risen in fitful spurts, or even halted altogether for a brief period of time (Miller 2017, 97). According to Miller (2017, 97), the minimum wage is now set at $7.25. The minimum wage seems like a just and compassionate policy: its purpose is to assist individuals in the greatest need by keeping them out of poverty. Although few people would argue that a household supported by one or more minimum wage incomes can enjoy the greatest comforts that society has to offer, many believe that it is still a beneficial policy because it seeks to meet at least basic needs. However, Roger Miller and other economists argue that however effective the minimum wage law was when it was enacted, it is no longer serving its intended purpose. Miller (2017, 98-99) claims that poor families are often poor not because the minimum wage is not high enough, but rather because individuals in those households …show more content…

According to Richards (2010, 38), employees must be worth their pay; thus, if a worker is not creating output that is worth the minimum wage, he may not be hired. Lee (2014, 43) further elaborates by stating that “Employers can offset the additional monetary cost required by a minimum-wage increase by reducing the nonmonetary compensation of low-wage workers…[such as] fringe benefits…” Thus, as Richards (2010, 39) comments, “Like it or not, some people need entry-level jobs…,” and increases in the minimum wage may actually make it harder for certain groups of people to obtain these

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