▁lack ▁of ▁a ▁living ▁w age ▁as ▁the ▁im position ▁of ▁negative ▁external ities ▁on ▁others . ▁ ▁These ▁external ities ▁take ▁the ▁form ▁of ▁de ple ting ▁the ▁stock ▁of ▁workers ▁by ▁' exp lo iting ▁and ▁exhaust ing ▁the ▁work force '. ▁ ▁This ▁leads ▁to ▁economic ▁in e ffic iency ▁as ▁business es ▁end ▁up ▁over produ cing ▁their ▁products ▁due ▁to ▁not ▁pay ing ▁the ▁full ▁cost ▁of ▁labour . ▁ ▁Other ▁contemporary ▁accounts ▁have ▁taken ▁up ▁the ▁theme ▁of ▁external ities ▁ar ising ▁due ▁to ▁a ▁lack ▁of ▁living ▁w age . ▁ ▁Mu ilen burg ▁and ▁Singh ▁see ▁w elf are ▁programs , ▁such ▁as ▁housing ▁and ▁school ▁me als , ▁as ▁being ▁a ▁subs id y ▁for ▁employ ers ▁that ▁allow ▁them ▁to ▁pay ▁low ▁w ages . ▁ ▁This ▁subs id y , ▁taking ▁the ▁form ▁of ▁an ▁external ity , ▁is ▁of ▁course ▁paid ▁for ▁by ▁society ▁in ▁the ▁form ▁of ▁tax es . ▁This ▁thought ▁is ▁repeated ▁by ▁Gr im sh aw ▁who ▁arg ues ▁that ▁employ ers ▁offset ▁the ▁social ▁costs ▁of ▁maintain ing ▁their ▁work force ▁through ▁tax ▁cred its , ▁housing , ▁benefits ▁and ▁other ▁w age ▁subs id ies . ▁ ▁The ▁issue ▁was ▁raised ▁during ▁the ▁Democratic ▁party ▁primary ▁election ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁when ▁president ial ▁candidate ▁Bern ie ▁Sand ers ▁mentioned ▁that ▁" stru gg ling ▁working ▁families ▁should ▁not ▁have ▁to ▁subs id ise ▁the ▁wealth iest ▁family