[MoI] Welfare - Week 27

Day 2,057, 14:23 • Published in Denmark Denmark • by pho3nix

This week's round of Welfare is over - and the results are in! I'm happy to report that activity seems to have sprung up as compared to last week! I'm also proud to announce that the average market wage is increasing steadily since the start of the program. The average wage has gone up by two DKK over the last two months - and right now the average is at a whopping 11 DKK. Almost twice of the wage we started out with!

The economy as a whole is improving. However, there are a few adjustments I'd like to advise - as Minister of Labor and/or vice-Minister of Finance. First of all the market isn't filled with anywhere near the volumes of goods that it's supposed to be. That means Danish producers are still preferring to sell their goods on the international market. That's okay as long as the prices on the Danish market is decent - which it right now is far from. That needs to change - now.

Once again, I urge the Danish public to buy their goods from Danish producers. Once that criteria is met, you should compare prices across the different Q's to make sure you get the most health and bang for your buck. Buying Danish is important, because that's how we keep our government programs alive for longer. The welfare program is spending about double of what it's earning. That might not be a problem right now, but the more goods you buy that are Danish - the longer we can run the program.

In order to further make the market work for us, as MoL I would like to encourage our congressmen to make the following adjustments to our tax scheme: an increase in import taxes on produced goods (weapons/food), an increase in income tax across all sectors and a raised minimum wage to 6 DKK.

An increase in import taxes will increase prices on the goods that are already on the Danish market. This will increase prices, I'm very aware of that - but remember that the economic module is not burdened with under production, rather the opposite. With increased domestic prices, I am convinced that there will once again be a margin of profit for Danish producers - which in turn sparks activity for competition. It also makes it easier for the Danish public to spot Danish goods apart from foreign imports.

Increasing the minimum wage is a way for me as a MoI to remove any unfair competition on the labor market. Each day I record the wages on the market and draw out an average market wage which we then add to the Welfare program. While the top of the market is moving up steadily, the bottom keeps dragging the average down. A wage at 6 DKK per day is still not an acceptable level of living, but it will allow me to remove the lowest bids on labor. It will also compensate the increase in income tax I have suggested. Once again; this is to ensure that the government programs remain healthy for the economy. While it might hit non-Danish citizens, those are not my primary conceirn.

These are all recommendations, and I hold no official power to actually make the change come about. I'm also expecting heavy criticism for these suggestions. Bring it on, sires and madams.

I'm also announcing that the total wage for the Welfare program is now set at 80 DKK per day. If you are yet to be included in the warm embrace of the Welfare Program: make sure you're eligable and sign up at erepublik.dk! Don't be shy Danes, you all deserve a higher standard of living!

Yours truly,
pho3nix, Minister of Labor