Arguments in favour of the National Minimum Wage

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7. Different taxes have different effects. NI [National Insurance] is a tax on employment and therefore deters the use of labour and encourages efficiency and automation. It doesn't put businesses in general out of business, it puts high-labour businesses out of business and encourages low-labour businesses (and the businesses that supply the equipment to reduce the labour, or, to put it another way, increase the productivity).

You could say much the same about the National Minimum Wage, which discourages low value added activities. That doesn't put "businesses in general out of business" it puts certain specific businesses out of business and adds to unemployment; pretty much like National Insurance.

Some may see this as A Good Thing, but quite why completely escapes me.