[extropy-chat] Seven cents an hour? (was: Riots in France)

[John K Clark]

"Rik van Riel" <riel at surriel.com>

> What I object to is that Wal-Mart is introducing socialism
> through the back door, by underpaying its workers so badly
> that they have to rely on government help to make ends meet.

I object to that too, the solution is to stop the government help.

Employers always try to get the cheapest employees they can and employees
always try to get the best paying jobs they can, complaining about that fact
of life is like complaining about gravity. The reason Wal-Mart employees
(and the employees of their competitors) don't make a lot of money is that
pool of people with their intelligence and skills is large and the number of
jobs they would be competent in is not so large. In general if a worker is
only worth 5$ an hour to his employer that employer he will never pay him
more than that unless he is running a charity; and if there is a law that
says he MUST pay 6$ an hour then he will simply hire nobody.

    John K Clark