Essays on Economic Policy (ESPE in Spanish) - Macroeconomic Effects of the Minimum Wage in Colombia
En la revista Ensayos sobre Política Económica (ESPE) divulgamos los resultados y las propuestas de política que surgen de investigaciones académicas realizadas en el Banco de la República. Cuando nos lea, tenga siempre presente que el contenido de nuestros artículos, así como los análisis y conclusiones que de ellos se derivan, son exclusiva responsabilidad de sus autores. El material divulgado en nuestra revista ESPE no compromete ni representa la opinión del Banco de la República ni la de su Junta Directiva.
In the journal Ensayos sobre Política Económica - ESPE - we disclose the results and policy proposals that arise from academic research carried out at the Banco de la República. When you read us, always keep in mind that the content of our articles, as well as the analyzes and conclusions derived from them, are the sole responsibility of their authors. The material disclosed in our ESPE magazine does not compromise or represent the opinion of Banco de la República or that of its Board of Directors.
Abstract
Using partial equilibrium and general equilibrium approaches, the effects of the minimum wage on the Colombian macroeconomy are thoroughly studied. With the first approach, the article analyzes the effects on variables of the labor market, income distribution, inequality, monetary poverty of families, prices, and inflation. With the general equilibrium approach, we study the effects on consumption, welfare, production, investment, inflation, and government fiscal accounts. According to the evidence, the minimum wage has negative effects on almost all the variables studied, it does not allow a fluid functioning of the labor market, and it is not fulfilling its objectives of contributing to reducing inequality and poverty. The redesign of the implementation of the minimum wage in Colombia and the way in which we are training our workforce to raise its productivity is suggested, so that we can bring the minimum wage in relation to the median wage of the economy, nowadays about 90 %, at a level similar to that of the OECD countries, close to 50%.
