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Optimal minimum wage in a competitive economy

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Author Info
Arantza Gorostiaga
Juan Francisco Rubio-Ramírez

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Abstract

This paper studies the use of a minimum wage law to implement the optimal redistribution policy when a distorting tax-transfer scheme is also available. The authors build a static general equilibrium model with a Ramsey planner making decisions on taxes, transfers, and minimum wage levels. Workers are assumed to differ only in their productivity. The authors find that optimal redistribution may imply the use of only taxes and transfers, only a minimum wage, or the proper combination of both policies. The key factor driving their results is the reaction of the demand for low-skilled labor to the minimum wage law. Hence, an optimal minimum wage appears to be most likely when low-skilled households are scarce, the complementarity between the two types of workers is large, or the difference in productivity is small.

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Paper provided by Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta in its series Working Paper with number 2004-30.

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Date of creation: 2004
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Handle: RePEc:fip:fedawp:2004-30

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  1. Lucas, Robert Jr. & Stokey, Nancy L., 1983. "Optimal fiscal and monetary policy in an economy without capital," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 12(1), pages 55-93. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  2. Arantza Gorostiaga, 2004. "Optimal Fiscal Policy with Rationing in the Labor Market," Economic Working Papers at Centro de Estudios Andaluces E2004/10, Centro de Estudios Andaluces. [Downloadable!]
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  3. Cahuc, Pierre & Michel, Philippe, 1996. "Minimum wage unemployment and growth," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 40(7), pages 1463-1482, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  4. Mikhail Golosov & Narayana Kocherlakota & Aleh Tsyvinski, 2003. "Optimal Indirect and Capital Taxation," Review of Economic Studies, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 70(3), pages 569-587, 07. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  5. R Dickens & S Machin & A Manning, 1994. "The Effects of Minimum Wages on Employment: Theory and Evidence from Britain," CEP Discussion Papers 0183, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
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  6. Lang, Kevin & Kahn, Shulamit, 1998. "The effect of minimum-wage laws on the distribution of employment: theory and evidence," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(1), pages 67-82, July. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  7. Guesnerie, Roger & Roberts, Kevin, 1987. "Minimum wage legislation as a second best policy," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(1-2), pages 490-498. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  8. S Machin & A Manning, 1992. "Minimum Wages," CEP Discussion Papers 080, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
  9. Dolado, Juan J. & Felgueroso, Florentino & Jimeno, Juan F., 2000. "The Role of the Minimum Wage in the Welfare State: An Appraisal," IZA Discussion Papers 152, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
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  10. Dreze, Jacques H. & Gollier, Christian, 1993. "Risk sharing on the labour market and second-best wage rigidities," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 37(8), pages 1457-1482, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  11. Arantza Gorostiaga, 2003. "Should Fiscal Policy be different in a Non-Competitive Framework?," DFAEII Working Papers 200228, University of the Basque Country - Department of Foundations of Economic Analysis II. [Downloadable!]
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  12. Robin Boadway & Katherine Cuff, 1999. "A Minimum Wage Can Be Welfare-Improving and Employment-Enhancing," Cahiers de recherche CREFE / CREFE Working Papers 72, CREFE, Université du Québec à Montréal. [Downloadable!]
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  13. Bhaskar, V & To, Ted, 1999. "Minimum Wages for Ronald McDonald Monopsonies: A Theory of Monopsonistic Competition," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 109(455), pages 190-203, April. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  14. Marceau, Nicolas & Boadway, Robin, 1994. " Minimum Wage Legislation and Unemployment Insurance as Instruments for Redistribution," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 96(1), pages 67-81.
  15. Askenazy, Philippe, 2003. "Minimum wage, exports and growth," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 47(1), pages 147-164, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  16. Rebitzer, James B. & Taylor, Lowell J., 1995. "The consequences of minimum wage laws Some new theoretical ideas," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 56(2), pages 245-255, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  17. Swinnerton, Kenneth A, 1996. "Minimum Wages in an Equilibrium Search Model with Diminishing Returns to Labor in Production," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 14(2), pages 340-55, April. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  1. Arantza Gorostiaga & Juan Francisco Rubio-Ramírez, 2005. "Fiscal policy and minimum wage for redistribution: an equivalence result," Working Paper 2005-08, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. [Downloadable!]
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