I'm curious to see how others answer this question that has been rolling around in my head for a while. If you had to choose between something like government mandated rules on minimum wage and other labor laws or a very strong labor movement in this country which would you choose? I know that this is a false dichotomy and that it is possible to have both but it's a question that I think points to a dichotomy in my own thinking which is whether it is better for society to have strong civil institutions outside of government produce results or to have the government itself produce results.
There are problems with both. Business is always in a stronger natural position than labor for the very fact that they don't have to organize. Its one entity against what is basically an aggregate entity that must work very hard to produce its own unity. Also, the weakness of the labor movement in this country points to a very real danger of depending on civil institutions, namely that they constantly have to work to be strong. But a strong labor movement also produces very real gains for the workers it represents. The fact that the labor movement has been so weak for so long is one of the largest reasons for the stagnation of real wages since the 1970's. It's the bottom up theory of wages. If the manager sees that the folks under him got a raise he's going to want a commensurate wage increase.
Government on the other hand can protect all workers. It can make sure that every worker is paid at least the semblance of a fair wage. It can also force companies to abide by rules much easier than a union because it possesses a retributory power far greater than any civil institution. However, as we have seen government power to redress imbalances is hostage to whatever power is in power. Polls constantly show that increases in the minimum wage are popular and when they are brought up people pay a political price when they vote against them. But then when was the last time you saw a substantial raise in the minimum wage.
So if in some pretend world you had to choose which would you choose?