Sweat Shops

Sweat shops seems like an inherently unethical practice. Perhaps what makes them so unethical is because of the conditions that the people work under. The one article mentioned that in poor countries, there will be poverty, there will be low wages. But, I think that there shouldn’t be the terrible conditions that they work in. The spotty electricity in the case of Meem, the lack of a comfortable working area, the complete inability for the factory to provide its workers with proper equipment… All of those are things that can be solved and perhaps by having these companies demand those standards they could receive more money from foreign purchasers.

My first thought on sweatshops, before even reading, was to eliminate them, eradicate them from the system and push the labor pack home. After reading the articles I’m rather hesitant. By providing these jobs, albeit shitty ones, it allows for some form of ‘wealth’ to those living on the state of poverty. It provides a means of meager social mobility. Obviously their own country is not helping them, monetary or working standard wise. The money that is coming into their country is valuable and they need every penny they can get – case and point the long hours many workers put in per month (only to receive $36).

I think that mainly people object to sweatshops for a couple reasons, one listed above and also the exploitation of the impoverished of a developing country and the high population of children in the system working. I don’t agree with the exploitation that the US instills every day – and honestly that seems to be a problem that the US needs to fix. If the US stops buying the commodities that these sweat shops are putting out – perhaps that would cause a lack in production and usage of sweat shops in general. However that could result in more financial problems for those working.

As for the children aspect of this argument, I relate these children – earning money for their families – like the children of the depression era. I think of children shining shoes for a living, only as one example. Perhaps that example is too much of a false analogy -  but when families are in desperate need of money to survive, they have to employ whatever they can.