美語情景對話 第814期:Minimum Wage 最低工資

Todd: So Greg, we're talking about controversial issues and one of the issues in your book is income disparity. So, what do you think about minimum wage?

託德：格雷格，我們來談談備受爭議的問題，你書中提到的其中一個問題是收入差距。你怎麼看最低工資？

Greg: Minimum wage. Minimum wage I think is very important to have otherwise employers are going to take advantage of people; pay them too little. The society, society itself must decide what is the proper minimum wage and that in itself is an issue. What should it be?

格雷格：最低工資。我認爲制定最低工資標準非常重要，否則僱主就會佔僱員的便宜；支付僱員過少的薪水。社會必須決定適當的最低工資標準，這是社會問題。應該怎麼做？

Todd: You know, actually I disagree. I am actually against a minimum wage. I think that you know, basically all markets find equilibrium and that the wage goes too low people just won't do the job, and so basically, if you don't have a minimum wage eventually the society will come to a wage where people fell comfortable doing that work. That basically things will work out.

託德：我並不同意你的觀點。我反對制定最低工資。我認爲所有市場都在尋找平衡，如果工資太低，那人們就不會去做那份工作，基本上來說，如果沒有最低工資標準，那最終工資會達到人們滿意的水平。基本上來說事情會順利解決的。

Greg: In theory maybe you're right, but in reality you're really wrong. I mean take a look at some of these countries around the world where there are sweat shops, where you have children, cause there are no rules regulating labor, and you have children who have never been educated, spend their entire lives working almost like slaves in unhealthy conditions. That's what happens when there are no rules to protect workers.

格雷格：從理論上說，你是對的，不過實際上，你的想法是錯的。看看世界上那些有血汗工廠、僱童工的國家，因爲這些國家沒有規範勞動力的規定，一些孩子從來沒有接受過教育，他們一直像奴隸一樣在不健康的環境下工作。因爲沒有保護工人的規定，情況就會演變成這樣。

Todd: But I think that's somewhat true but you said the key word that they're not educated. I think the problem there is that people aren't educated and that's what leads the abject poverty that they might do a job like that. So don't you think that if people were educated more, they would not be willing to work such meaningless jobs, such jobs that pay so little.

託德：從某種程度上來說可能是這樣，不過你剛纔的關鍵詞是沒有受過教育。我認爲問題是這些人沒有接受過教育，這是導致赤貧境地的原因，因爲這樣他們纔會去做那種工作。你不認爲如果人們受教育程度更高，他們是不會願意去做那種沒有意義、工資那麼少的工作的。

Greg: Many of those people, those children, who are working like slaves, don't have a chance for an education and often maybe they're being exploited, not always but sometimes, by people who've had good education.

格雷格：這些人、這些兒童中的很多人，他們像奴隸一樣工作是因爲他們沒有機會接受教育，雖然不是通常情況，不過一般來說剝削他們的是受過良好教育的人。

Todd: Right.

託德：對。

Greg: Take a child in some very poor country has to work just to find food.

格雷格：一些極度貧窮國家的孩子只有工作，纔有吃的東西。

Todd: So basically, you're saying they should have a living wage. That they should make enough money that they can have a decent standard of living.

託德：你的意思是他們應該有生活保障。他們要掙足夠的錢，這樣他們才能維持像樣的生活標準。

Greg: Everybody should have a decent standard of living I believe.

格雷格：我認爲所有人都應該有像樣的生活標準。

Todd: I just think that it's really hard to arbitrarily set a price. I mean that number is always going to go up and down. That even a minimum wage is somewhat skews the reality that if you just let markets take their natural course eventually people won't be willing to work.

託德：我只是覺得很難去隨意設定價格水平。因爲價格經常上下波動。甚至最低工資可能會扭曲現實，如果讓市場順其自然地發展，那最終人們就不願意去工作了。

Greg: It doesn't work that way because when you just have a complete free market, you have corrupt people who take advantage of other people.

格雷格：事態不會這麼發展，因爲當自由市場完備時，會有腐敗的人去利用其他人。

Todd: Well, you know, that actually I do agree with but I think ... I do believe in a free markets but one thing that is true is that free markets cannot work where's there's corruption. I do agree with that. So we agree about something.

託德：我同意這個觀點，我相信自由市場，不過我認爲如果存在腐敗，那自由市場就無法運作。我同意這個觀點。我們終於達成一致觀點了。

Greg: Yes. Good thing.

格雷格：對。這是好事。

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重點講解：
1. take advantage of 佔…的便宜；欺騙；捉弄；
例句：It never occurred to me to take advantage of him.
我決沒有想到過要佔他的便宜。
2. work out （如期）發生；進展（順利）；
例句：The deal just isn't working out the way we were promised.
結果待遇根本不是他們對我們許諾的那樣。
3. in theory 從理論上說；照理說；
例句：His proposition is good in theory but cannot be put into practice.
他的建議在理論上可以，但不能付諸實現。
4. in reality 事實上；實際上；
例句：In reality, things always happen out of expectation.
現實中，事情總是出乎意料地發生。
5. be willing to do sth. 樂意的；願意的；
例句：Henry wasn't willing to take the gamble.
享利是不願意冒這個風險的。
6. up and down 興衰；浮沉；起落；悲歡；
例句：The market is swinging up and down.
市場上下波動。