A Basic Income Is Smarter Than a Minimum Wage
&gt; Besides, Sweden has one of the rich world&#x27;s biggest gaps between native and immigrant employment rates. Youth joblessness is 70 percent higher among the foreign-born than among Swedes. Lowering the minimum wage could draw more of the new, mainly Middle Eastern population, into the workforce and reduce social and ethnic tension.<p>A minimum wage is simply not moral. It prevents me and you from entering into an employment agreement with which we may both benefit. Instead, the government is telling me how I have to interact with you.<p>The left-wing philosophy of a minimum livable wage is ironically hurting the new immigrants to these countries. The reality is that first-world nations have higher employment standards because citizens are more educated and capable. Instead of giving new immigrants, who are almost certainly less educated and capable (remember, they&#x27;re trying to move to countries with better opportunities) the ability to work and gain experience, we leave them with little options.<p>And like the quote says, it&#x27;s just bad for assimilation into the host society. Being able to work is fantastic for that. You have to learn at least a bit of the language. Interact with the people. Learn to follow the laws and customs of the new country. Without work opportunities, immigrants can often wind up stuck in their segregated ghettos. And high unemployment invariably leads to a lower quality of life.<p>Abolish the minimum wage. Give new immigrants the opportunities they want.