Minimum wage laws are part of the larger system, not an isolated black/white switch. What if people out of employment also get some financial support to retrain / kick out their addictions / cure a sickness. A minimum wage law would push a number of people out of employment, but the additional support systems would increase their chances to come back at a higher wage level. We do this all the time at a personal level, by deferring employment and using the time [and hefty sums of money] to go to school.

The end result may well be diverting resources from the most productive centers of society to the most needing sections thereof. Worse, it will be afflicted by corruption, only a fraction of the diverted money will end up on the most needing people plate.

What level of wasteful spending we are comfortable with?