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The Minimum Wage and the Cause of Democracy.
- Source :
- Review of Social Economy; Dec2003, Vol. 61 Issue 4, p487-510, 24p
- Publication Year :
- 2003
-
Abstract
- Too often the minimum wage is conceived of as a small policy measure that will be of benefit to only a small segment of the labor market while imposing costs on another segment of the labor market. Unexplored, however, are the larger philosophic questions that such a small measure may actually raise. One such issue is the relationship between the minimum wage and democratic principles. In this paper I argue that the minimum wage furthers the ends of democratic society in that low-wage workers may achieve greater equality of standing with their piers to the extent that income inequality is at all lessened; their autonomy as individuals is enhanced through higher wages, which in turn enables them to claim the benefits of citizenship and participate more effectively in the democratic process; and it fosters greater economic development in that it raises the overall structure of a region and perhaps the productivity of that region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- MINIMUM wage
DEMOCRACY
LABOR market
CITIZENSHIP
ECONOMIC development
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00346764
- Volume :
- 61
- Issue :
- 4
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Review of Social Economy
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 11715071
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1080/0034676032000160921