# Law Limiting Highest to Lowest Compensation Ratio

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-limiting-highest-to-lowest-compensation-ratio/638961>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [October 26, 2012, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-limiting-highest-to-lowest-compensation-ratio/638961 "2012-10-26T18:49:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 7

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**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-limiting-highest-to-lowest-compensation-ratio/638961/121 "2012-11-01T20:37:15Z")

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> [@Steve\_MB](#):
>
> Simple:
> 
> 1. A human requires some minimum about X of food, shelter, etc.
> 
> 2. Therefore, X sets a natural minimum on the cost of even the most unskilled human labor (the amount of resources set by biological constraints must be supplied, or the laborer, and hence the labor, will cease to exist), just as (for example) the gravity well sets a natural minimum on the cost of launching even the most primitive satellite (the minimum amount of energy set by physical constraints must be supplied, or the satellite will fall back to earth instead of going into orbit).
> 
> 3. Ethics requires one to pay the costs of one’s choices, insofar as this is possible. (The “multi-billionaire” observation in **dataguy** ’s comment should not be misconstrued, deliberately or otherwise, as some sort of crude class-warfare rhetoric, but simply as a statement of factual evidence re the “this is possible” caveat.)
> 
> 4. Ergo, if one is unwilling or unable to pay X for labor to do some job, the ethical option is to allow the job to go undone or do it yourself. The unethical option is to pay Y \< X and foist the difference off on someone else.
> 
> QED.

But now we are back to determining an appropriate minimum wage and what jobs should qualify.

For example, should a paper boy or an entry level fast food position get a minimum wage capable of supporting a family of 4?

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**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-limiting-highest-to-lowest-compensation-ratio/638961/122 "2012-11-01T22:21:43Z")

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> [@Algher](#):
>
> But now we are back to determining an appropriate minimum wage and what jobs should qualify.
> 
> For example, should a paper boy or an entry level fast food position get a minimum wage capable of supporting a family of 4?

Entry-level jobs for dependent minors (by definition for a “paper boy”, strongly implied for “an entry level fast food position”) are not relevant examples in a discussion of whether it is ethical for Wal-Mart to pay wages that leave its employees qualified for government welfare, institutionalized to the point where it streamlines the welfare application process – dependents don’t qualify for welfare unless they’re part of a family whose principal earner(s) so qualify. Obviously, this institutionalized arrangement is undertaken in the expectation that one’s employees are primary breadwinners, but not paid sufficiently to be self-supporting, with the intent of foisting part of the natural minimum cost of labor off on the taxpayers.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-limiting-highest-to-lowest-compensation-ratio/638961/123 "2012-11-01T22:28:32Z")

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> [@Steve\_MB](#):
>
> Entry-level jobs for dependent minors (by definition for a “paper boy”, strongly implied for “an entry level fast food position”) are not relevant examples in a discussion of whether it is ethical for Wal-Mart to pay wages that leave its employees qualified for government welfare, institutionalized to the point where it streamlines the welfare application process – dependents don’t qualify for welfare unless they’re part of a family whose principal earner(s) so qualify. Obviously, this institutionalized arrangement is undertaken in the expectation that one’s employees are primary breadwinners, but not paid sufficiently to be self-supporting, with the intent of foisting part of the natural minimum cost of labor off on the taxpayers.

When I was in high school - a job stocking shelves at Wal Mart was popular. I worked retail in a shopping mall. My wife cleaned doctor’s offices. All of these paid minimum wage.

What about any particular job qualifies it as a minimum wage vs. a living wage job?

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