Living wages – normative und ökonomische Gründe für einen angemessenen Mindestlohn

Since the 1990s, ‘living wage initiatives’ have emerged around the globe, seeking to substantially increase minimum wages. While minimum wages are often set at a very low level—sometimes even below the subsistence level—the idea of a living wage is based on the assumption that everyone has the right to a wage which allows not only physical reproduction, but also enables participation in social and cultural life. Drawing on a historical account of the living wage concept, this article analyses recent living wage initiatives in the USA and the UK, and—based on the UK experience—explains different methodologies behind the calculation of living wages. Finally, the authors explore the extent to which the living wage concept might gain importance in the German debate.