The Minimum Wage as Method of Alleviating Poverty: Current Practices versus Alternative Policy and Legal Resolutions

Abstract

Poverty is a social issue that impacts much of the world, including the United States. Oftentimes, proponents of the minimum wage argue that a higher minimum wage would help alleviate poverty in the country. Whether or not there will be impacts, or how significant the impact will be, is a subject of debate. The paper first analyzes arguments in support of using the minimum wage to reduce poverty in the US. Then, arguments against the current minimum wage are presented. Discussion regarding alternatives or alterations to the current minimum wage is raised at the end of the paper that would provide a more sustainable and legally sound public policy choice. This includes an analysis of the current minimum wage policies in the city of Philadelphia as example.