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US Federal Minimum Wage and Political Control History
Data Science and Analytics
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About
Explore the historical progression of the United States federal minimum wage from its initial establishment in 1938. This detailed dataset maps the statutory rate increases over time, providing critical context by cross-referencing these changes with the prevailing political landscape. The data tracks which party controlled the White House, the Senate, and the House of Representatives during each period, offering insights into how political dominance may correlate with federal labour policy shifts. Supplementary metrics detailing the magnitude and percentage of wage increases, as well as the duration since the last adjustment, are included.
Columns
- Year: The calendar year of the record.
- PresParty: Identifies the political party controlling the White House (e.g., Democrat or Republican).
- SenParty: Identifies the political party controlling the Senate.
- HouseParty: Identifies the political party controlling the House of Representatives.
- TrifectaFlag: Indicates if a single party held control over the White House, Senate, and House, and if so, which party.
- FedMinWage: The actual rate of the federal minimum wage in force during that year.
- RateChange: The monetary amount by which the minimum wage increased from the previous period.
- PercentChange: The percentage increase applied to the minimum wage.
- IncreaseFlag: A Boolean flag denoting whether an increase occurred in that year.
- YearsSinceLastChange: The number of years elapsed since the previous federal minimum wage increase.
Distribution
The data is generally provided in a CSV file format, suitable for most analytical platforms. The structure contains 10 distinct columns and includes 84 validated records. The data is structured annually and is expected to be updated on an annual basis to incorporate new policy changes and elapsed time.
Usage
This dataset is highly useful for historical economic modelling, studies of government policy effectiveness, and political science research analysing the impact of single-party versus split government control on labour laws. It is ideal for visualising the long-term journey of wage standards and correlating economic benchmarks with partisan shifts in power.
Coverage
The scope is strictly focused on the United States federal policies. The time range covered extends from 1938 up to 2021, encompassing the entire history of the federal minimum wage following the Fair Labor Standards Act. The coverage is focused on national political control mechanisms rather than state-level data.
License
CC0: Public Domain
Who Can Use It
Economists and analysts interested in US labour history; political researchers examining the relationship between congressional control and policy changes; journalists tracking legislative effectiveness; and students conducting research on socio-economic indicators and wage legislation.
Dataset Name Suggestions
- US Federal Minimum Wage and Political Control History
- Historical Minimum Wage Increases by Governing Party
- US Labour Law Policy Timeline 1938-2021
Attributes
Original Data Source: US Federal Minimum Wage and Political Control History
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