The Differences between Ford Car Company America and Present Day America

If the minimum wage was raised, then people would have more freedom, more dignity and more options in America. Low-wage workers would feel more independent, if the minimum wage was increased and If factory workers and the middle class, in general, were given a just and higher minimum wage and safe working conditions in factories before and during Henry Ford’s rise to the Ford car company. Then they probably would have been able to afford more basic necessities to survive, which is why the minimum wage should be increased so that people will feel more independent in their work and more free to have more money to spend on necessary supplies to support themselves.

If the minimum wage was increased, then the economy would be a lot better for low-wage middle class workers. That is if the minimum wage was higher. For example, their would have been more of a feeling of independence for the middle class, more dignity and freedom promoted to workers, and a better economy for the U.S. because if more people got a higher wage, then there would be more people that can take care of themselves and if there are more people better off that can take care of themselves in the U.S., then you have a better economic system where everyone is working. According to the Center for American Progress Action Fund, “A higher minimum wage creates new customers by boosting demand and also lowers some costs for employers by, for example, reducing turnover, or the rate of number of workers that were replaced in a period of time. Furthermore, such wage hikes are particularly beneficial to working women and can cut the costs that low-road employers impose on taxpayers” (Madland and Miller, Center for American Progress Action Fund). Increasing the minimum wage doesn’t always hurt employees, but can actually lower and cut some costs by grossing more revenue in the economy, which will give hapless employees a safety net when tax time comes, which is one way an increase in the minimum wage helps employees. It also creates new customers through its demand, which, in turn, drives up the supplies because you need to have more supplies to meet the demand, which is another way that this minimum wage increase can help, by pumping more money into a certain business and/or the economy, which provides for a better stock market in the process for Americans. With that being said, it seems that a hike in the minimum wage is actually more beneficial for people, due to its surprisingly positive effects on employees.

The minimum wage is how the middle class survives as Americans and thrive in a roller-coaster economy/stock market. Without a just and livable minimum wage for all of America and its employees, their would be an increase in poverty and/or homelessness, an overabundance of hungry Americans who can’t feed their families, and a lack of spending due to low wages and when their is no spending, then there is no revenue going into the economy and when there is no revenue continually going into the economy, then the economy plummets. According to Crash Course video, John Green says, “The benefits of economic growth were shared unevenly.” (Crash Course: The Industrial Economy U.S. History #23 youtube.com). It isn’t fair for big businesses to have a monopoly on all of the money that goes in and out of the business and have workers being paid a meager salary. Early in the dawn of industrialization, corporations could pay whatever they wanted to their employees and receive no repercussions, giving them a small salary so they could keep most of the money. Nowadays, people would probably be paid for overtime and the wages are more just due to a raise in the minimum wage, which is now $7.25 an hour as opposed to the 1938 minimum wage, which was only twenty-five cents (Grossman, United States Department of Labor). Many businesses back in the dawn of the industrial revolution and even today still don’t share their profits fairly. Big businesses and corporations don’t realize that their employees need to put food on the table and earn a livable wage. That’s what gives them incentive to do the job that they do, which is why the minimum wage should be, in fact, increased because it gives people more dignity in their work and more incentive to want to do the work. This is why corporations should always be in their employees best interests, within reason. They need to provide them with a fair wage and safe working conditions. Furthermore, corporations need to be focused less on capitalism and more on fair wages because it is more honest and ethical.

Americans need to provide for their kids and family. They need food, clothes, and shelter and many Americans can’t find those basic necessities because of a low minimum wage. Raising the wage not only helps with demand but, it can also help put more money into the economy, which helps with spending and, in turn, revitalized the economy so that the middle class can afford more necessities for themselves and get themselves out of a rut when they are close to poverty. Ford news center said, “In 1914, Henry Ford started an industrial revolution by more than doubling wages to $5 a day — a move that helped build the U.S. middle class and the modern economy” (Ford News Center). After hearing the great news of Ford’s increased wages, people flocked over to Detroit for employment, when they heard they could earn $5 a day, a feat not many other factories offered. The quote even says that it built up the U.S. middle class and economy, which is why it is best for Congress to raise the wage. If Ford raised wages back in 1914 and it raised the middle class and helped support the economy, why don’t people vote in favor of it 100% of the time? If something helps the U.S. economy, why wouldn’t you rule in favor of that. Furthermore, the middle class, the economy and other miscellaneous corporations and businesses can handle a higher wage. The middles class benefits, the economy benefits through higher demand which can strengthen the stock market and big corporations can benefit also from a higher demand since they will need to drive up the supplies to meet the demand, which more money will be able to flow into for that particular business.

The question remains, though. Will Congress meet the needs of the people in this manner or will the middle class be stuck with the same wages? It all depends on the initiative of the people and how much they want this wage raised. Only the decision of Congress, the strength of the economy and time will tell us definitively, but everyone wants a higher wage no matter what job they are working.