Minimum Wage and Justice?

Much of the debate over the minimum wage in recent years has essentially involved one between those arguing the adverse effect of raising the minimum wage--particularly among teenagers--and those who maintain that increases in the minimum wage would not only alleviate the poverty of some, but offer an attractive alternative to welfare. Often absent from the discussions have been grounded considerations of equity and justice. On the contrary, substantive questions of justice are at the root of the debate. And were the minimum wage to be approached from a more philosophical framework--as opposed to the impartiality of a cost-benefit analysis--a stronger case could be made for the minimum wage. This paper ultimately argues that a strong moral case for the minimum wage requires strong philosophical arguments