The Economic Impact of Wal-Mart on Americans

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In 1962 a small business owner from Kansas named Sam Walton was about to revolutionize the way people shop. Walton’s dream was to make the shopping experience a pleasant and affordable one for all. The primary focus was on customer relations and a positive employee environment. In 1992 Sam Walton passed away and soon after so did his ideal superstore. When Wal-Mart enters a new location it relies on bully techniques to weed out its smaller competition leaving consumers little to no choice but to shop as well as be employed at Wal-Mart. The majority of Wal-Mart employees opt-out of the health benefits package due to the high premium cost and large deductibles leaving them without coverage or seeking state aid. ("Store Wars: When Wal-Mart Comes to Town") Wal-Mart is the largest retailer in the world with over half of their employees averaging wages that are below the Federal poverty line for a family of four. Wal-Mart has become a household name with many positive attributes but they have been riddled with a large amount of negatives. Their motto of “Always low prices, always” have created soaring profits at the expense of their employees. Most Americans loves the convenience and low prices offered by Wal-Mart. Do Americans know what it actually costs for Wal-Mart to keep prices so low? With thousands of lawsuits filed each year it is a wonder why Wal-Mart refuses to change its practices. It is fairly safe to say that Sam Walton would not approve of how his company has been completely changed from its original intent by such a large margin. Employees are no longer happy working at Wal-Mart and to make matters worse the employees can no longer afford to work there. The average Wal-Mart associate earns about $1000 less t... ... middle of paper ... ... poverty wages and expensive yet limited benefits has led to American malevolence towards the mega-corporation Wal-Mart. Works Cited Censky, Annalyn. "How the Middle Class Became the Underclass." CNN. CNN Money, 16 Feb 2011. Web. 9 Apr 2014. . Dicker, John. The United States of Wal-Mart. New york: Penquin Group Inc., 2005. 21-59. Print. Ehrenreich, Barbara. Nickle and Dimes. New York: Picador, 2011. 173-184. Print. Fishman, Charles. The Wal-Mart Effect. New York: Penquin Group Inc., 2006. 200-235. Print. "History of Federal Minimum Wage Rates Under the Fair Labor Standards Act." U.S. Department of Labor. U.S. Department of Labor, n.d. Web. 9 Apr 2014. . "Store Wars: When Wal-Mart Comes to Town." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 9 Apr 2014. .

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