Why is it the employer's responsibility to provide a living wage?

[Fidel_Castronaut]

Any business contract between two parties should have an equitable outcome for both parties. Otherwise it is viewed as theft or fraud on the part of one of the parties to the contract.

And the relationship between the employer and the employee is a business contract.
Therefore, if the employee isn't getting fair remuneration for his efforts then his employer is stealing from him.

Do you understand that?
Or should I redo it in crayon for you?

People are generally very good at determining the fair value of something.

Irresolvable claim in its current context.

Define 'value'.

Also, a lot of people from a multitude of castes and economic/social backgrounds would have difficulty defining value, economically speaking (which I will presume in this instance) of a multitude of 'things' when confronted with them. How do I define the economic worth of a single cancer research PhD student based on the fact she has had no immediate success in finding a cure for a given form of cancer? Do I then cast the net wider and include all possible future research outcomes? All I have in a snapshot is money sunk into a research grant and nothing to show except personal gain for the researcher (in a PhD). I admit this is simplistic

However, I think its much more complex than you appear to imply.