Henry Ford famously said, "History is bunk!" Ford had no appreciation for history, but he was certainly an historic figure. Ford revolutionized automobile manufacturing with the moving assembly line of Model T`s In 1914. That same year he instituted a minimum wage that allowed his workers enough income to buy a new Model T with just ninety day`s wages.
Henry Ford was never accused of being a liberal. In fact he was anti-semitic, cozy with the Nazi Party and sweepingly autocratic. He was a conservative with an innovative idea that promoted economic growth. The minimum wage was, and still is, fought by conservative partisans.
Today`s minimum wage does not let a wage earner buy an economy car with ninety day`s wages. To be fair, much of a new car`s costs are government imposed safety equipment such as effective brakes, safety glass, seat belts, turn signals, etc. Government "intrusion" in the manufacture of automobiles has saved many lives. (Government intrusion recently saved General Motors from financial collapse, but that is another editorial.) The minimum wage and safety devices are good ideas, regardless of the idea`s sources.
Henry Ford deserves credit for making cars affordable, although he was vilified by luxury car manufacturers. Likewise, Ralph Nader deserves credit for making cars safer. Yet Nader was defamed by the automotive industry, and particularly General Motors, for his call for seat belts. Concern for quarterly earnings determine industry goals and lobbying expenditures.
Innovations such as a minimum wage disturb special interests that want to preserve the status quo. New ideas deserve consideration for their long-term effects. That consideration should include recognition of who opposes the new idea. | 