> If they can get people to work for them at those wages, and they are happy with the employees they get, why not?
I'm not saying it's bad for the employees, I'm saying that Wal-Mart shoppers are paying more than they think. Wal-Mart sells stuff so cheap in part because they pay their workers low wages. The only way that works is because our tax money is being used to subsidize that income. Thus the cost of the things we buy at Wal-Mart are higher than the ticket price.
> Why don't the people who benefit from no crime pool their money and hire a security guard?
You mean the shoppers? The workers? Arguably the most efficient method of pooling this money would be for Wal-Mart to charge a little bit more in order to pay someone to patrol their own parking lot.
> Sources please. I know of one study about good effects.
I don't have sources for this, only first-hand experience. Smaller businesses are owned locally. They order inventory locally, and they spend the majority of their profits locally. Thus for the most part, money is being circulated about in the small town and everyone is getting the goods and services they need.
When Wal-Mart comes in, the merchandise is coming from not only outside the town, but often outside the country. Any profits they make are distributed to shareholders, or used for building more Wal-Marts elsewhere. By knocking several local businesses (mechanic, produce stand, general store, pharmacy, hardware store) out of business, they eliminate more jobs than they create while siphoning money out of the town, money which would have otherwise just been recirculated.
I'm not saying it's bad for the employees, I'm saying that Wal-Mart shoppers are paying more than they think. Wal-Mart sells stuff so cheap in part because they pay their workers low wages. The only way that works is because our tax money is being used to subsidize that income. Thus the cost of the things we buy at Wal-Mart are higher than the ticket price.
> Why don't the people who benefit from no crime pool their money and hire a security guard?
You mean the shoppers? The workers? Arguably the most efficient method of pooling this money would be for Wal-Mart to charge a little bit more in order to pay someone to patrol their own parking lot.
> Sources please. I know of one study about good effects.
I don't have sources for this, only first-hand experience. Smaller businesses are owned locally. They order inventory locally, and they spend the majority of their profits locally. Thus for the most part, money is being circulated about in the small town and everyone is getting the goods and services they need.
When Wal-Mart comes in, the merchandise is coming from not only outside the town, but often outside the country. Any profits they make are distributed to shareholders, or used for building more Wal-Marts elsewhere. By knocking several local businesses (mechanic, produce stand, general store, pharmacy, hardware store) out of business, they eliminate more jobs than they create while siphoning money out of the town, money which would have otherwise just been recirculated.