#STRask Do Christian Business Owners Have a Moral Responsibility to Provide a Livable Wage?
Aug 25, 2025
The discussion kicks off with the moral obligations of Christian business owners regarding livable wages. Delving into economic principles, the speakers critique the oversimplified notion that wage increases can happen through mere declarations. They explore the nuances between 'just wages' and 'livable wages.' The conversation also navigates the balance between generosity and self-promotion, especially in corporate sponsorships. Finally, they highlight the importance of community investment and prioritizing spiritual values over material wealth.
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Positive Rights Versus Negative Rights
- Greg Kokkol argues that a livable wage is not an automatic moral obligation because rights require an objective standard of justice.
- He contrasts positive rights like a living wage with negative rights found in the Declaration and Bill of Rights.
Read Foundational Economics
- Amy Hall recommends learning basic economics to see how markets allocate wages and prices.
- She encourages reading J. Wesley Richards' Money, Greed, and God and Hazlitt's Economics in One Lesson.
Wages Reflect Market Worth
- Amy Hall explains wages and prices signal the economic worth of labor and goods, not arbitrary generosity.
- Artificially fixing wages or prices causes shortages, business closures, and mismatches in employment.
