经济学人500:最低工资标准 多少才合理

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　　社论

　　Minimum wages

　　最低工资标准

　　The logical floor

　　多少才合理

　　Moderate minimum wages do more good than harm. They should be set by technocrats¹ not politicians

　　实施适度的最低工资标准利大于弊，但是它们应该由技术专家而不是领导层来设定。

　　ON BOTH sides of the Atlantic politicians are warming to the idea that the lowest-paid can be helped by mandating² higher wages.

　　欧美各国领导人逐渐开始赞同提高工资水平可以帮助贫困人群这一观点。

　　Barack Obama wants to raise America's federal minimum wage by 40% from 7.25 to 10.10 an hour, and more than three-quarters of Americans support the idea.

　　奥巴马总统打算将联邦最低工资标准提高40%，时薪从7.25美元升为10.10美元，对此四分之三以上的美国人表示支持。

　　In Germany, one of the few big rich-world countries still without a national wage floor, the incoming coalition³ government has just agreed on an across-the-board hourly minimum of 8.50 from 2015.

　　尚且没有设定最低工资标准的发达国家寥寥可数，德国是其中之一，但新成立的联合政府已经协商达成一致，计划于2015年起全面实行时薪8.50欧元的最低工资标准。

　　In Britain, which has had a minimum wage since 1999, the opposition⁴ Labour Party is keen to cajole firms into voluntarily paying higher living wages.

　　而英国在1999年起就已经实施最低工资标准，其反对党工党比较擅长于游说企业主们自愿支付更高的最低生活工资。

　　For free-market types, including The Economist⁵, fiddling⁶ with wages by fiat⁷ sets off alarm bells.

　　对于包括本刊《经济学人》在内的劳动力自由市场而言，通过法律规定来调整工资水准的做法会带来一定弊端。

　　In a competitive market anything that artificially raises the price of labour will curb⁸ demand for it, and the first to lose their jobs will be the least skilled—the people intervention⁹ is supposed to help.

　　对于竞争激烈的市场而言，任何人为提高劳动力成本的举措都会抑制劳动力的需求，而且首当其冲的失业者会是那些缺乏专业技术的工人们—这样一来人为干预是有一定作用的。

　　That is why Milton Friedman called minimum wages a form of discrimination against the low-skilled; and it is why he saw topping up the incomes of the working poor with public subsidies¹⁰ as a far more sensible means of alleviating¹¹ poverty.

　　这就是为什么米尔顿·弗里德曼称最低工资标准是对那些没有专业技术的劳动者的歧视；此外，他认为通过分发国家补贴的方式来提高贫困人群的收入从而缓解他们贫困状况这种做法更为明智。

　　Scepticism about the merits of minimum wages remains¹² this newspaper's starting-point.

　　本刊对于实行最低工资标准的好处一直持怀疑态度。

　　But as income inequality widens and workers' share of national income shrinks, the case for action to help the low-paid grows.

　　但是，随着收入差距扩大以及工人们所获收入占社会总工资比例下降，帮助贫困工人一事显得日益紧迫。

　　Addressing the problem through subsidies for the working poor is harder in an era of austerity, when there are many other pressing claims on national coffers.

　　在今天这个法制社会里，通过给贫困工人们分发国家补贴的方式来解决此问题甚是艰难，因为还有诸多其他方面需要政府开支。

　　Other policy options, such as confiscatory¹³ taxes, are unattractive.

　　诸如征收没收性赋税等措施也并不可取。

　　Nor is a moderate minimum wage as undesirable¹⁴ as neoclassical purists suggest.

　　正如新古典主义纯粹主义者所言，设定适度的最低工资标准同样不会取得理想效果。

　　Unlike those in textbooks, real labour markets are not perfectly¹⁵ competitive.

　　不同于书本上的描述，现实中的劳动力市场其实并不属于绝对竞争市场。

　　Since workers who want to change jobs face costs and risks, employers may be able to set pay below its market-clearing rate.

　　由于那些想跳槽的工人们面临着一定成本和风险，雇主们便可能以低于其公开规定工薪的水平来支付他们的工资。

　　A minimum wage, providing it is not set too high, could thus boost pay with no ill effects on jobs.

　　只要最低工资标准设定的不算太高，那么它就能够在不影响就业的情况下提高工资水平。

　　French lessons

　　法国的前车之鉴

　　Empirical evidence supports that argument.

　　历史的经验验证了以上观点。

　　In flexible economies a low minimum wage seems to have little, if any, depressing effect on employment.

　　在较灵活的经济体中，实施最低工资标准似乎对就业的影响即使有也是很小的。

　　America's federal minimum wage, at 38% of median income, is one of the rich world's lowest.

　　美国联邦最低工资标准是其中值工资的38%，这一标准是发达国家里最低的。

　　Some studies find no harm to employment from federal or state minimum wages, others see a small one, but none finds any serious damage.

　　一些研究表明联邦或者州设的最低工资标准并不会对就业产生消极影响，另一些研究也表明这种影响很小，但是目前还没有数据显示设定最低工资标准会严重影响就业，

　　Britain's minimum wage, at around 47% of median income, with a lower rate for young people, also does not seem to have pushed many people out of work.

　　英国的最低工资标准是其人均工资水平的47%，并且对于年幼者而言更是有所下降，但是这似乎也并未使很多人失业。

　　High minimum wages, however, particularly in rigid¹⁶ labour markets, do appear to hit employment.

　　然而，如果最低工资标准较高，尤其是在那些管制较严的劳动力市场，就业似乎也会受到影响。

　　France has the rich world's highest wage floor, at more than 60% of the median for adults and a far bigger fraction of the typical wage for the young.

　　法国的最低工资标准是发达国家中最高的，其中成年人的占中值工资的60%以上，年幼者的最低工资标准占中值工资的比例则更大。

　　This helps explain why France also has shockingly high rates of youth unemployment: 26% for 15- to 24-year-olds.

　　这也是为什么法国的失业率较高的原因——法国15到24岁年轻人的平均失业率为26%。

　　Theory and practice suggest two lessons for governments contemplating¹⁷ setting or changing minimum wages.

　　理论与实践两方面的经验给了各国领导人关于是否设定或者更改最低工资标准两点启示。

　　The first is to ensure that the level is pretty low—say, less than 50% of the median, with lower levels for less productive people such as the young and long-term unemployed¹⁸. Germany risks breaking this rule.

　　其一是要确保最低工资标准相对较低，务必要低于中值工资的50%，并且对于那些生产效率较低人群，比如年幼者和长期失业者这一标准要更低。

　　Its proposed level is, by one calculation, 62% of the median wage.

　　德国的做法很可能与此相背，他们的最低工资标准为中值工资的62%。

　　One in six German workers is paid less than that, suggesting that jobs will be lost, especially in the less productive east of the country.

　　而六分之一德国人的工资低于这一水平，这意味着很多人将面临失业，尤其是在劳动力效率较低的东德。

　　Similarly the living wage which campaigners are calling for in Britain is 20% higher than the minimum wage.

　　与此类似，在英国一些人倡导的最低生活工资比最低工资标准还要高出20%，

　　That could hit employment.

　　这会严重影响到就业。

　　Though America's proposed increase is huge, the minimum wage would still be only about 50% of the median.

　　尽管美国对最低工资标准的提升幅度较大，但是其最低工资标准仍然将只占中值工资的50%。

　　A second lesson is that politicians should give the power to set minimum wages to technocrats.

　　其二是领导层应该将设定最低工资标准一事留给技术专家们解决。

　　In Britain, the floor is adjusted annually¹⁹ on the advice of economists²⁰ and statisticians in the Low Pay Commission; it has generally advanced gradually.

　　在英国，这一标准每年都会根据低工资委员会的经济学家和统计学家的建议予以适当调整；并且总体来看呈逐年上升趋势。

　　In America, the federal floor is set by politicians and adjusted irregularly in huge increments²¹.

　　而美国联邦最低工资标准是由领导层设定的，而且每次调整增幅较大，也没什么规律可言，

　　That does no favours to American workers or their employers.

　　这对美国的劳动者和企业雇主而言都没有益处。

　　Finally, governments should remember that minimum wages are a palliative.

　　最后，各政府应该谨记实施最低工资标准只能起到有限的作用。

　　They should not distract attention from more fundamental causes of low wages—such as a lack of education and skills—and the efforts to address them.

　　他们不能忽略导致部分劳动者工资水平过低的根源—例如受教育程度不高和缺乏相关技术培训，当然各国在此问题上所做的努力也是不够的。

　　1.keen to 热衷于

　　I was keen to develop so-called masculine skills.

　　我热衷于开发所谓的男性的技能。

　　Western companies are keen to tap this growth.

　　西方药企热衷于培育这一增长。

　　2.set off 开始；引起；点燃

　　Nichols set off for his remote farmhouse²² in Connecticut.

　　尼科尔斯动身去他在康涅狄格州的偏僻农舍了。

　　The President's envoy²³ set off on another diplomatic trip.

　　总统的使节开始了又一次外交之旅。

　　3.demand for 要求

　　The european economic crisis cut demand for solar cells.

　　欧洲经济危机削减对太阳能电池的需求。

　　Future demand for commercial real estate is rapidly outpacing supply.

　　未来对商业地产的需求将快速超过供应。

　　4.suppose to 认为

　　I suppose to go there on my honeymoon²⁴.

　　我本来想去那里度蜜月。

　　Would you suppose to meet the people on the boat.

　　你认为是那些在船上的人吗？

1 technocrats   

n.技术专家，专家政治论者( technocrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Few business barons remained. They were replaced by "technocrats," who became the heads of corporations. 企业巨头所剩无几，大多已被“技术专家”所代替，这些人成了公司的领导。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• However, bankers called the technocrats' bluff and proceeded to lend with gusto. 但是，银行家们称技术专家官员不过在虚张声势，并且还会乐观的继续借贷业务。 来自互联网

2 mandating   

托管（mandate的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• Current requirements mandating that committees keep minutes are too general. 目前对委员会要保持详细记录的指令性要求，还是太过一般化了。
• Mandating that workers who quit without permission forfeit a month's wages. 规定工人私自离岗将受到罚没一个月工资的处罚。

3 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

4 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

5 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

6 fiddling   

微小的

参考例句：

• He was fiddling with his keys while he talked to me. 和我谈话时他不停地摆弄钥匙。
• All you're going to see is a lot of fiddling around. 你今天要看到的只是大量的胡摆乱弄。 来自英汉文学 - 廊桥遗梦

7 fiat   

n.命令，法令，批准；vt.批准，颁布

参考例句：

• The opening of a market stall is governed by municipal fiat.开设市场摊位受市政法令管制。
• He has tried to impose solutions to the country's problems by fiat.他试图下令强行解决该国的问题。

8 curb   

n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制

参考例句：

• I could not curb my anger.我按捺不住我的愤怒。
• You must curb your daughter when you are in church.你在教堂时必须管住你的女儿。

9 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

10 subsidies   

n.补贴，津贴，补助金( subsidy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• European agriculture ministers failed to break the deadlock over farm subsidies. 欧洲各国农业部长在农业补贴问题上未能打破僵局。
• Agricultural subsidies absorb about half the EU's income. 农业补贴占去了欧盟收入的大约一半。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 alleviating   

减轻，缓解，缓和( alleviate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• If it's alleviating pain,who knows what else it's doing? 如果它减轻了疼痛，天知道还影响什么？
• Measuring poverty is not the same as alleviating it, of course. 当然，衡量贫困和减轻贫困是截然不同的。

12 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

13 confiscatory   

没收的，充公的

参考例句：

14 undesirable   

adj.不受欢迎的，不良的，不合意的，讨厌的；n.不受欢迎的人，不良分子

参考例句：

• They are the undesirable elements among the employees.他们是雇员中的不良分子。
• Certain chemicals can induce undesirable changes in the nervous system.有些化学物质能在神经系统中引起不良变化。

15 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

16 rigid   

adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的

参考例句：

• She became as rigid as adamant.她变得如顽石般的固执。
• The examination was so rigid that nearly all aspirants were ruled out.考试很严，几乎所有的考生都被淘汰了。

17 contemplating   

深思，细想，仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 )； 注视，凝视； 考虑接受（发生某事的可能性）； 深思熟虑，沉思，苦思冥想

参考例句：

• You're too young to be contemplating retirement. 你考虑退休还太年轻。
• She stood contemplating the painting. 她站在那儿凝视那幅图画。

18 unemployed   

adj.失业的，没有工作的；未动用的，闲置的

参考例句：

• There are now over four million unemployed workers in this country.这个国家现有四百万失业人员。
• The unemployed hunger for jobs.失业者渴望得到工作。

19 annually   

adv.一年一次，每年

参考例句：

• Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
• They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。

20 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

21 increments   

n.增长( increment的名词复数 )；增量；增额；定期的加薪

参考例句：

• These increments were mixed and looked into the 5.56mm catridge case. 将各种药粒进行混和，装在5．56毫米的弹壳中。 来自辞典例句
• The Rankine scale has scale increments equal to the FahrenheIt'scale. 兰氏温标的温度间距与华氏温标的相同。 来自辞典例句

22 farmhouse   

n.农场住宅（尤指主要住房）

参考例句：

• We fell for the farmhouse as soon as we saw it.我们对那所农舍一见倾心。
• We put up for the night at a farmhouse.我们在一间农舍投宿了一夜。

23 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

24 honeymoon   

n.蜜月（假期）；vi.度蜜月

参考例句：

• While on honeymoon in Bali,she learned to scuba dive.她在巴厘岛度蜜月时学会了带水肺潜水。
• The happy pair are leaving for their honeymoon.这幸福的一对就要去度蜜月了。