An arbitrary approach to minimum wage

Few would disagree that the minimum wage in Lebanon needs to increase to help the poorest socio-economic segment of the population better meet the rising cost of living. And while raising the minimum wage in any country would have hints of populist politics involved, the more well-functioning governments around the world would also base their decision, at least in part, on some sort of economic analysis and wider strategy for greater general prosperity and growth. Lebanon, unfortunately, is not one of these well-functioning places.  As Executive went to print the minimum wage stood at LL500,000 ($330) per month, a level it reached after being hiked by LL200,000 ($132) in 2008; before that the last time the government addressed the minimum wage was in 1996. Last month the cabinet again decided to raise the minimum wage after a last minute deal was struck with the General Labor Confederation (GLC), the country’s