On 4/23/2019 8:04 PM, John B. Slocomb wrote:
On Tue, 23 Apr 2019 17:14:16 -0500, AMuzi wrote:

On 4/23/2019 1:00 PM, wrote:
On Tuesday, April 23, 2019 at 10:48:08 AM UTC-5, Frank Krygowski wrote:

Our economic system generates more profits to those who reduce expenses,
and employees are seen as expenses.
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- Frank Krygowski

Yes, one of the economic problems with slavery. There are many moral problems with slavery of course. But in current and even past times when employees can be paid a subsistence wage or minimum wage, it is much cheaper to hire people at poverty wages than it is to have slaves. Slaves, because they are personal property, require food, housing, medical care. All of which adds up to much more than subsistence wages paid to desperate employees. Employee wages are of course a tax deductible expense. Not sure how slave owners dealt with slave upkeep expenses. Actually not sure when the US started the federal income taxes. Maybe it was after slavery officially ended.


1914 and 1% to 7% on extremely high incomes.

The Amendment passed because all and sundry assured it would
never affect the average guy. The Founders knew better,
which is why the original Constitution prohibited such taxes.

BTW before you get excited about 'wage slavery', the quit
rate is way up, that is, more employees are leaving for
better situations.

I've always sort of laughed when "wage slavery" is mentioned. After
all, it isn't the factory owner that sets the wages it is the labour
force. The minimum that they will accept.

And these days, American workers - who live in a relatively expensive
country - have to compete against millions of workers in places where
living costs (and expected amenities) are far, far lower. Those workers
accept far less than the Americans can.

My area has lost lots and lots of decent-paying jobs, despite the
promises made to workers by a certain occupant of the White House. GM
has said over and over, "screw you, we can get this work done in Mexico
and make lots more profit." For other industries, substitute China, or
India, or Southeast Asia, etc.


--
- Frank Krygowski