Assertion to increase in the minimum wage

Question

Use the circular flow model to confirm this assertion for a $1 per hour increase in the minimum wage?

Answer 1

This will increase costs of some businesses immediately and most businesses eventually, as better paid labor demands and gets what it considers its rightful historic percentage premium over the minimum wage.  This will shift businesses’ supply curve to the left, leading to a decreased demand for resources though total business costs paid to labour will likely have increased.  With increased income, labor households will most likely increase consumption by more than the decrease of capitalist households (those getting at least part of their income as rents, interest, and profits).  Thus flow of goods and services to household’s increases as does flow, receipts of businesses from households.

The distribution of income will be toward labor.  There will be increased wages—especially for the lowest paid workers.  There will also be a small reallocation of resources towards labour.  Unemployment may rise for the lowest paid workers and so will prices.