Minimum Wages in The United States

All through the United States and among various countries in the world, the discussion of minimum wages has been a subject of debate as some argue that they’re not aiding our economy to wards improvement, but rather affects it as according to the sources, minimum wages in crease unemployment. Nonetheless, there are other that counterattack that the implementation of minimum wages is a way of improving or economy in the long term. A minimum wage is the mini mum salary per hour that person can earn in a job in order to survive or be considered above the poverty line.

In support of minimum wages, and the increasing of it, Dwight Lee presents in the second page of the article The Minimum Wage Can Harm Workers by Reducing Unemployment that “The most complete analysis of that possibility has been done by Wessels (1980a. 1980b). Who has shown that the unemployment effect of a minimum wage increase will generally be less than the standard analysis predicts, and the increase can harm even those workers who remain em ployed.” These arguments present the facts that are talked about in relation to small wages, and that is the argument that if minimum wages are increased, then workers will be even more expensive for small businesses. But nothing in the analysis so far suggests that increasing the smallest wage can reduce unemployment.” (Lee, Dwight pg. 5) Nonetheless, Dwight also further counter argues that “As the minimum wage increases, more firms can be expected to begin eliminating fringe bene fits, with further increases in unemployment being moderated, and reversed with a re duction in unemployment.” (Lee, Dwight pg. 8).

In support of the minimum wage in the United States, the AFL CIO on H.R. 37744 was cre ated. The goal of this bill was to improve our economy by decreasing poverty rates. Andrew Biemiller also assesses on the direct idea of increasing the minimum wage.

Nonetheless, in the con side of the argument about the increase and overall idea of minimum wages, Jack Carlson presents his opinion by arguing that “increase wages for some at the expense if unem ployment for others.” (Carlson, Jack pg. 2) This argument goes back to the previous argument made by Dwight Lee, where he explains how by increasing minimum wages, small businesses will not be able to afford all their workers. However, unlike Lee, Carlson argues that this will lead to unem ployment as most of these unaffordable capable workers will then be fired and inflation will in crease, and cause unfair reduction in competition. […] Second, it increases the number of workers searching for but unable to find jobs as measured by the unemployment rate.” (Carlson, Jack pg. 2).

The argument of whether minimum wages actually improve our economy and are actually a necessity presents valid arguments on both the pro and consides, and could be consider a contro versial argument as many individuals can bring arguments from different perspectives. Different re alities can be taken into account when considering minimum wages, as for some workers the in crease in them would not be beneficial, while for others this would be life changing. The economy is what supports our society, and how our employees benefit from it define its success, and like Churchill once said: “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.

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