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Title:* *Why Wage Policy is an Essential Ingredient in a Democratic Society * *Date: Dec. 6, 2012

*Source: **Employment Policy Research Network*** Author: Oren Levin-Waldman Summary: Discussions of wage policy, especially as it assumes the form of a minimum wage, often revolve around whether it really benefits the poor sufficiently to justify adverse employment consequences. Those arguing for it claim that it is an essential ingredient to raise the poor out of poverty. Those arguing against typically argue that raising the minimum wage leads to greater unemployment. Moreover, not only are most minimum wage earners not poor, but they are not even primary earners. Rather they are secondary earners. Therefore a wage policy along these lines cannot be justified because it violates the basic premise of Pareto optimality. Link: http://bit.ly/UwUM8l