By Murray M. Rothbard [This piece originally appeared in the December 1988 issue of The Free Market and is also included in the collection Making Economic Sense.] There is no clearer demonstration of the essential identity of the two political parties than their position on the minimum wage. The Democrats proposed to raise the legal minimum wage from $3.35 an hour, to … [Read more...] about Outlawing Jobs: The Minimum Wage
Minimum Wage
3 Groups of People Disproportionately Harmed by Minimum Wage Laws
By Bill Wirtz Minimum wage laws are intended to help those who are making very little money, yet they achieve quite the opposite. Can you really say you stand for the disadvantaged if you support minimum wage laws? Moral Superiority Minimum wage laws have been around for a while, so contesting their existence becomes progressively more difficult. For most people, even … [Read more...] about 3 Groups of People Disproportionately Harmed by Minimum Wage Laws
How Minimum Wage Laws Are Like Poll Taxes
By Daniel Boudreaux Here’s a letter to Mr. Eddie Ng: Mr. Ng: Thanks for your e-mail. You find my colleague Dick Wagner’s case against the minimum wage “weak.” Without offering a reason for your objection to his argument, you ask why you should “believe that the minimum wage causes unemployment.” I urge you to explore the vast empirical literature on the actual … [Read more...] about How Minimum Wage Laws Are Like Poll Taxes
Minimum Wage Hikes Are Killing Jobs in California’s Poorest Communities, Study Says
By Tim Pearce California’s minimum wage increase has cost the state thousands of jobs worth of growth in the state’s booming restaurant industry, according to a recent study by the University of California Riverside. Delayed Effects California passed a bill in 2016 to bring the state’s minimum wage up to $15 an hour. For businesses with more than 25 employees, the state’s … [Read more...] about Minimum Wage Hikes Are Killing Jobs in California’s Poorest Communities, Study Says
The Dark History of the Minimum Wage
By corbettreport There's something strange about the idea of a minimum wage. It's one of those subjects that everyone has a strong opinion about, even if they have no idea what makes actual economic sense. But perhaps the most surprising thing of all is that the minimum wage has a dirty secret that most economists don't want you to know about. Today we explore The Dark … [Read more...] about The Dark History of the Minimum Wage
What Greece And Venezuela Can Teach Us About Minimum Wage Laws
By Jon Miltimore States across America are increasing the minimum wage. This is bad policy for numerous reasons, but the movement nonetheless appears to be gaining steam. Eighteen states began 2019 with new minimum wage laws. Several more passed legislation in 2019, including Maryland, where legislators overrode a veto to pass a $15 minimum wage. McDonald’s, perhaps … [Read more...] about What Greece And Venezuela Can Teach Us About Minimum Wage Laws