The macroeconomic consequences of raising the minimum wage: Capital accumulation, employment and the wage distribution

Sofia Bauducco and Alexandre Janiak

European Economic Review, 2018, vol. 101, issue C, 57-76

Abstract: We study the quantitative impact of a rise in the minimum wage on macroeconomic outcomes such as employment, the stock of capital and the distribution of wages. Our modeling framework is the large-firm search and matching model. Our comparative statics are in line with previous empirical findings: a moderate increase in the minimum wage barely affects employment, while it compresses the wage distribution and generates positive spillovers on higher wages. The model also predicts an increase in the stock of capital. Next, we perform the policy experiment of introducing a 10 dollar minimum wage. Our results suggest large positive effects on capital (4.0%) and output (1.8%), with a decrease in employment by 2.8%. The introduction of a 9 dollar minimum wage would instead produce similar effects on capital accumulation without harming employment.

Keywords: Minimum wage; Search; Large firm; Employment; Capital; Wage distribution (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: E24 J63 J68 L20 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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Working Paper: The Macroeconomic Consequences of Raising the Minimum Wage: Capital Accumulation, Employment and the Wage Distribution (2017)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:eecrev:v:101:y:2018:i:c:p:57-76

DOI: 10.1016/j.euroecorev.2017.09.012

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