I get what you are saying, but I disagree to some extent, at least from my NL point of view
Almost all small/local restaurants would have gone bankrupt during Covid if the government hasn’t stepped in.
A lot of theatres would go bankrupt if government subsidies would stop.
And there are more companies that are subsidized by the government to help them keep afloat, either temporary or structural like in the theatre example.
Personally, I believe we should stride for a minimum income, not a minimum wage. Because the minimum wage does nothing for you if you wan’t work (anymore). Currently in a NL (and other countries) you get a fixed percentage of your last wage if you get sick for longer than x years. I know people who live under the minimum income because of this and can never get anywhere in life because they get 70% from only working 3 hours a week before they got to be confirmed sick. A minimum wage increase does nothing a minimum (or universal basic income) does work.
Almost all small local shops and restaurants did go bankrupt during Covid. The bailouts went disproportionately to the oligarchy. Some small businesses benefitted, but it would have been far more effective to bail out individuals.
But I agree that a negative tax or UBI would be great, too, as long as it was tied to the cost of living and paid for by business taxes. It would effectively subsidize every business, creating a minimum wage paid to every person regardless of whether they work or not.
I get what you are saying, but I disagree to some extent, at least from my NL point of view
Almost all small/local restaurants would have gone bankrupt during Covid if the government hasn’t stepped in. A lot of theatres would go bankrupt if government subsidies would stop. And there are more companies that are subsidized by the government to help them keep afloat, either temporary or structural like in the theatre example.
Personally, I believe we should stride for a minimum income, not a minimum wage. Because the minimum wage does nothing for you if you wan’t work (anymore). Currently in a NL (and other countries) you get a fixed percentage of your last wage if you get sick for longer than x years. I know people who live under the minimum income because of this and can never get anywhere in life because they get 70% from only working 3 hours a week before they got to be confirmed sick. A minimum wage increase does nothing a minimum (or universal basic income) does work.
Almost all small local shops and restaurants did go bankrupt during Covid. The bailouts went disproportionately to the oligarchy. Some small businesses benefitted, but it would have been far more effective to bail out individuals.
But I agree that a negative tax or UBI would be great, too, as long as it was tied to the cost of living and paid for by business taxes. It would effectively subsidize every business, creating a minimum wage paid to every person regardless of whether they work or not.