Posted by alexandra_k on November 24, 2005, at 21:01:13
In reply to Re: just one more... » alexandra_k, posted by Dinah on November 23, 2005, at 22:33:38
Hmm. Yeah... I don't really know anything about economics or management...
I was just thinking...
That tiny top percent having over half the wealth in the whole darned country...
That doesn't seem fair to me.
And so I was trying to think about what could be done about that...
But yeah, I guess it is hard to do it at the level of the minimum wage...
I appreciated that that would have ramifications right through...
With the people getting minimum + whatever.
But I also appreciate that having to pay employees more could be what makes some of the smaller businesses go under.But then I do think that the minimum wage jolly well should be such that you can meet your basic needs on it. Actually... I think people should get that for free. Working should give you MORE than that.
It is hard... Becuase of people on the borderline. In New Zealand there can be a situation where if you are working for minimum wage then you can be a little worse off than being on welfare. But in those cases... People tend to go on welfare and get into training course or whatever so once they come out the other end then they are able to earn more than the minimum wage in their job. And so yeah, the government supports them to do that, but at the end of the day you have a more educated population and more skilled workers earning more money.
But yeah, it isn't so fair about the borderline between minimum wage and welfare. But even though I don't think that is fair I think it is even less fair to not have welfare because of that, if you get what I mean. Basic needs first... Then sort out the rest.
I'm not sure how reflective the minimum wage is... Because if you are in a job where you get tips then you earn more than the minimum wage once you take tips into account. We don't tip as a matter of course over here. Occasionally people tip but not very often. It certainly isn't expected. The workers wages are built into the cost of whatever you buy. If they do a crap job then they get fired. If they do a good job then they should get promoted. Or whatever. But then some minimum wage jobs don't involve tips... So... Hmm... Hard to know what to say about those... In those cases... I'm tempted to say that it seems a little exploitative to hire people and pay them not even enough to meet their basic needs. If the business goes under because it can't afford to pay them reasonably then... Well... Sorry but...
I dunno.
I would have thought the government could have done a little more to help out the smaller businesses... Giving them contracts to rebuild Iraq instead of sticking with the businesses that were doing just fine at any rate. But oh well.
I guess I just think that people should get their basic needs met...
And so yeah, that means them having enough money / resources to do that...
I have been thinking (a little) about what the world might be like if we didn't have money and if resources were equally distributed (to prevent a bartering economy). I guess you would produce what you needed and help people you care about.
Lots of people would stop working...
That is true.
Be hard to find people to work in an assembly line or whatever...
People wouldn't do those things without the incentive of money / resources being in it with them.Not that I think that there is anything wrong with people having money / resources...
But when a tiny percentage has over half the wealth...
And other people struggle to meet their basic needs...That doesn't seem fair to me.
But what can be done about it???
I don't know.
poster:alexandra_k
thread:578654
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/poli/20051121/msgs/581980.html