Biology Forums - Study Force

Is the minimum wage a good policy? Should the government increase the minimum wage or maintain it at its current rate or abolish it altogether.

From my non-economic perspective, having a minimum wage policy burdens business owners without them receiving any commensurate increase in productivity. For example, if your job is flipping burgers, and you make 5 dollars an hour doing that, you've accepted the job given the wage of $5 per hour. As a result, you do what's required to prevent you from getting fired, technically the bare minimum. Now, how would increasing a government-assigned minimum wage increase the burger flipper's productivity? It probably won't, and in fact, will only hurt the business owner whose already paying for business expenses, taxes, etc. In fact, it makes the business owner less charitable too. I see minimum wages as an extension of government assistance programs, because in the true, free market, your worth solely depends on what you have to offer that's unique to the work place. Let the market forces determine what is appropriate rather than the government imposing "minimum wage policies". Of course, for your answer, be sure to include pros and cons, then pick a side wherever you see fit.