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The Wealth (Rich and Poor) and Minimum Wage Debate

Question 1:

I am 50 years old. I earn more than I did when i was 18 years old. After I left school, I studied a degree. Then I studied another one. Then I studied one part time for 2 years and basically stopped my life during those two years to do it. I went to work and came home and studied. Why should I earn the same as an 18 year old?

Question 2:

I work anything up to 60 to 80 hours a week. And every hour I work is a real hour. Why should I earn the same as someone who has a 9 to 5 job and perhaps only does 5 hours of real work in that time?

Question 3:

If I am wealthy, which itself is relative: I don't have a Mercedes; I don't have a yacht; I don't live in Bishopscourt or Fresnaye; I don't own a plane: then I use my money to better my life: I build houses, shopping centres, etc. I use my wealth to build stuff which allows other people to have jobs. If I earn more because 400 people have jobs because of me, then why should I earn the same as someone who just uses what I have created?

Question 4:

The jobless and low earners want minimum wages, but there are at least 3 problems with minimum wages: a) everyone ends up earning the same and there is no incentive for people to better themselves; b) minimum wages serve the big corporations which can afford the minimum wages (in general), and therefore minimum wages force small business out of business; c) South Africa has at least 35% unemployment. Isn't it better for someone to work for R4,000 per month than for nothing, or for handouts from the government at R2,700 per person per month? If someone was on the dole and got a job at R4,000 per month, then perhaps the government should continue to fund the R2,700 balance until such time as the person earns the "minimum wage" at which point the government can start paying less.

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