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Places contemporary minimum wage debates in historical context, stressing the importance of political as opposed to economic variables.
This book traces the historical evolution of minimum-wage policy and explains how models are used (and misused) by different interests to achieve their particular aims. Minimum-wage policy was initially legitimated as a broader labor-market policy aimed at achieving greater productivity and labor-market stability. As organized labor has declined as a political force in the last twenty years, the nature of the debate has metamorphized into a narrowly focused and often highly technical discussion concerned with specific effects of given specific increases in the minimum wage, such as either relieving poverty or the so-called adverse effects on youth unemployment. This change has coincided with the greatest stagnation of the minimum wage.
"The book effectively blends economics, political science, legal studies, history, and policy studies. I found it absorbing." — Deborah M. Figart, coauthor of Contesting the Market: Pay Equity and the Politics of Economic Restructuring
"The balancing of economic perspectives with political perspectives is excellent." — J. Edward Kellough, University of Georgia
List of Tables and Figures
Preface
1. Introduction
Political Issues
History
2. Competing Models
Import of Utilitarianism
Economic Models
Political Model
Conclusion
3 The Minimum Wage in Historical Perspective
The Efficiency Argument
Constitutional Issues
Protective Labor Legislation for Women
The Need for a More Encompassing Argument
Conclusion
4. The Evolution of the Wage
The Fair Labor Standards Act
Role of Unions?
The Assault
Conclusion
5. Labor in Decline
Significance of Declining Unionism?
Voting Behavior
Congressional Voting,Implications
6. Return to Labor Market Policy
Previous Approach
Productivity
Indexation
Toward Greater Policy Coherence
Notes
Bibliography
Index