The Case for a Maximum Wage by Sam Pizzigati3 min read

Introduction

Maximum Wage has been a cornerstone for my Economic Policies @ Interstellar New Deal for quite a while. I tore through this 118 page book, The Case for a Maximum Wage, in half a day as a part of the research to write a policy proposal for Maximum Wage for the Movement for a People’s Party. Its research closely reinforces my policy proposals in so very many ways.

Comments on the Book

The book was amazing and even calls to research from one of the powerful books that I have as required reading for my policies – The Spirit Level -which talks about the harms of inequality. The Case for a Maximum Wage is important enough that I will be adding it to my required reading list which now consists of 5 books.

It goes over the harms of inequality, benefits of a society with low levels of inequality, previous movements for maximum wages, the fraud of philanthropy, as well as the advantages of enacting a maximum wage. There are lots of links to articles and studies for further reading too at the end of each chapter.

I only have 2 super small and rather pedantic problems with the book:

1. He frames high progressive marginal tax rates as “unsustainable” which is an inappropriate word. They are most definitely is sustainable from an economic standpoint. They are hard to keep on the books within societies with large levels of inequality where the rich and corporations will eventually worm their way into destroying it just like they have here in the US, and just about everywhere else in the world.
2. There is a level of naivety about the thought that an implemented Maximum Wage as being immune from manipulation, thwarting, and repealing, however, I think his thoughts on its power to reduce the 1%’s ability to affect it are quite seductive.

Unknowingly, he makes a great case for Economies for the Common Good as the method of enforcement and reinforcement for the Maximum Wage which is also key to my policies too.

Now, only if he had taken those thoughts that one… step… further… The Cancer of Capitalism.

Conclusion

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand the problems that we face today. It tackles a very important policy – the Maximum Wage to which I say that “If your candidate or political party does not have a Maximum Wage as a corner stone to their economic policy then they are NOT serious about tackling inequality.” A Maximum Wage is one of the most powerful policy tools and this book makes a great case for it. Give it a read. It is well worth your time.