World wide minimum wage...and a suggestioon for a maximum as well.

I heard an economist on the radio talking about how the world would be a better place if there was a worldwide $12 an hour (or equivalent) wage standard. I've heard that before, but then he added, interetstingly, that there should be a $1M a year *maximum* as well because, as he said "No one needs over a million dollars a year.". I have to say I agree at least with that last statement. NO ONE needs more than a million a year, and I find that hard to argue with. Thoughts?

"Show me a man who says he got rich from hard work and I'll ask him "Really? Whose?"............Mark Twain.

$12/ hr is waaaaaay too much for a burger flipper.

that would be one bloody hard thing to implement..i mean, $12 or equivalent to what for starters, i ASSUME you mean to the US dollar..and if so, imagine how the living standards of countries would change all over the world? i mean in OZ well, where i live, minimum wage is set at $11..making its 12US would increase it..and push up wages across the board. Guys making above minimum wages would want to keep it that way. Unions would want to protect their members..and then youll have problems.

How about people in say a Latin American country, where minimum wage is a ridiculous low shit..youd increase their income by 500% if not more, and how..whod have the money to pay that?


just some questions for ya...dont have answeres, just first things that popped to mind..

sounds good, like a fairytale almost..

i think his idea is great
equality would really hit in, then there would be no poverty, and no billionares either...
i think 12 dlls an hour is great for a burger flipper, he could support a family with that and if he likes doing it, then great, he'll probably do a GREAT job flipping burgers! besides, crime would go down, cause everyone would have what they need...

theres only one thing... men is by nature greedy and evil...
there is a need for power, to overpower others... and that is what capitalism is about...
its our nature to destroy others and to better ourselves... it sucks... i know...

thats up there with the idea of a 20% sales tax and no income tax. it may sound good, but good luck passing it.

plus, if there was a 1 million dollar cap on $$ per year, then there wouldn't be republicans. wait . . .

I'd sit on my ass and not be productive at all. Absolutely no incentive to do otherwise...

and bye-bye small businesses.

Communism didn't work. It still wouldn't.

That economist you heard is a moron.

Quote:

Originally posted by Bananaman

i think his idea is great
equality would really hit in, then there would be no poverty, and no billionares either...
i think 12 dlls an hour is great for a burger flipper, he could support a family with that and if he likes doing it, then great, he'll probably do a GREAT job flipping burgers! besides, crime would go down, cause everyone would have what they need...

theres only one thing... men is by nature greedy and evil...
there is a need for power, to overpower others... and that is what capitalism is about...
its our nature to destroy others and to better ourselves... it sucks... i know...

capitalism is about overpowering others?? and a need for power??

i dont think so, they may be a bitter AFTER taste, but not what its about....ill be fucked studying
doing eng/med/law just to get out and be equal in PAY to a burger flipper..

of course capitalism is about overpowering others! thats what drives people! unconsciously(sp?) if you want but it is...

and about studying, thats the beautiful thing... everybody would study just what they really wanted to do or be! besides, he said 12 minimum... of course you would still study to make more than that! youd study to make a million a year!

the point is, you wouldnt study to make money, you would study to do what you really want to, and it would be fine... if your mission in life were to be a gardener or a janitor, then you could be it and live well

A thoughtful discussion for once. So if in Oz it's $11 an hour, how does that effect the economy there? I can imagine $11 an hour is enough to live on, so how has it worked for you guys?

Yeah it'll never happen...and blacks will never be freed from slavery, much less occupy a few seats on the U.S. supreme court, women will never vote, the Roman Empire will last a thousand years, etc. etc.

Quote:

Originally posted by Bananaman

i think 12 dlls an hour is great for a burger flipper

McDonalds starts paying $12/hr and your happy meal will cost $20.

wrong... the excess money made in companies would go to the government... which would then subsidise basic needs, like food, shelter, transportation, education, etc

of course going to the movies would cost maybe 35 bucks... but if youre making AT LEAST 12 an hour, you can afford it... then again, going to the movies isnt necessary now is it? this way everyone, and i mean EVERYONE would have food and shelter to say the least

Quote:

Originally posted by Bananaman

of course capitalism is about overpowering others! thats what drives people!

if youre thinking of America when you think capitalist thats your problem,
not EVERY capitalist country has the mentality or desire to be like the US..

you should take more notice of your sig

Australia is a capitalist country, and in some cases more so than the US..we have free markets, low if
no tariffs, no barriers...

but we dont plan on overthrowing anybody, finacially or otherwise. Wehave higher minimum wages..but
thats also casue our cost of living is much higher than most, blame that on out geographical position

no matter how "nice" you think that universal $12 an hour salary is...it could not happen, period
and not because of peoples greed..but because of circumstances and locations..

where will that money come from?..might work well in US, OZ or the UK..but other countries...doubtful.

im not trying to argue with you, just bringing questions forward

If wages went up that much, everything would go up proportionaly. You wouldn't gain anything.

Quote:

Originally posted by screwy.one

[reply=Bananaman]
i think 12 dlls an hour is great for a burger flipper

McDonalds starts paying $12/hr and your happy meal will cost $20.
[/reply]
exactly. Inflation would go through the roof, and the only place you could eat would be at something owned by large conglomerates. Small businesses would cease to exist. Without the competition, prices would skyrocket and quality of goods would decrease significantly. That $20 happy meal would taste worse than it currently does!

not a good idea too steep a raise, inflation would be out of control. What would a place like Walmart do, they would have to sell Cd's for $40 bucks each just to pay employees. People would be making more but the cost of living would be a lot higher.

jeff......stfu. Think before you post. Would paying everyone $12 / hr MINIMUM effect costs of outgoing product? and there are surely a few people who SPEND 1 mil per year on normal expenses....then theres bullshit spending.

Quote:

Originally posted by Bananaman

wrong... the excess money made in companies would go to the government... which would then subsidise basic needs, like food, shelter, transportation, education, etc

ok..maybe the US makes you pay for your own health, edu and so on..but not ALL countries do, OZ doesnt, thats why you pay taxes...a universal health system for all..same with Eductaion, its basically free til year 12..or 18 years for you yanks..even then Uni is subsidised..so EVERYONE that deserves to go...goes.


Now, that makes OZ a welfare state, but also a capitalist nation..all our shit costs more than you guys
in the US..everything, even after exchange rate..we still pay more..why? our high wages, amd location..
everything has to brought in..

another reason $12 everywhere couldnt work...inflation pushing ALL prices up..imagine developing nations..
if they even found a way to sustain those wages..having to deal with that..

Quote:

Originally posted by Boost_Addict

jeff......stfu. Think before you post. Would paying everyone $12 / hr MINIMUM effect costs of outgoing product? and there are surely a few people who SPEND 1 mil per year on normal expenses....then theres bullshit spending.

if youre refering to his first post...that was an opinion that he heard, he was asking for ours

totally ridiculous who the fuck is that economist ?