>His own extension of Bellamy's idea is to replace the labor market with a
>central 'job market' computer which adjusts wages to pay more for less
>popular jobs and less for those more popular, within a legislatively-set
>maximum and minimum.
Such an objective could be achieved merely by bringing about a truly 'free' labour market. That is to say a labour market where those who sell their labour are actually free to withhold from selling their labour. Of course under the present system only the capitalist class are free to choose whether or not they will sell their labour, the vast majority of people are forced to sell, whether the price is agreeable or not. This is not a "free" market, because the seller does not have any option but to sell, or starve, no matter how disagreeable the price on offer. So it is compulsory acquisition under threat of death.
A free market in labour could only exist where the every citizen was guaranteed an adequate income unconditionally. Such proposals have been on the public policy agenda for many years, in the form of proposals for a GAI, GMI, negative income tax, etc. I can't help wondering if such an unconditional minimum income would be compatible with the survival of capitalism though, which is based on wage slavery.
But in such a genuinely free labour market there would be no need for a minimum wage, which is a necessary safeguard only where there is some kind of forced labour. Obviously those attempting to purchase free labour would have to make an attractive offer and those trying to obtain labour for dangerous and unpleasant jobs would need to be able to offer either extremely high wages, or some other kind of rewards (such as high status or acclaim.)
Bill Bartlett Bracknell Tas