Extreme exploitation, poor working conditions, and arbitrary discipline are only some examples of the life in sweatshops. Most people describe it as"subcontracting system in which the middlemen earned profits from the margin between the amount they received for a contract and the amount they paid to the workers. The margin was said to be "sweated" from the workers because they received minimal wages for excessive hours worked under unsanitary conditions" (Fashion Crimes). Sweatshops exists because it has become part of a global economy, which is ruled by a free trade system. In this system, a powerful country such as the U.S., negotiates trade agreements with poorer developing countries. Free trade agreements promise more market access to all countries involved by lowering or eliminating trade barriers such as taxes or tariffs. In this way, goods and services are sold or traded between the countries. Unfortunately, these trade agreements include very weak social clauses - provisions that set labor, social, and environmental standards - which do not adequately address worker protections or environmental concerns.
Nothing will happen if we decide to change our consumer habits, but it is up to the big corporations to change their lives. If they provide more advanced technology and better conditions to the workers, they would most likely benefit from their work even more because the workers would work even faster. Workers in Sweatshops are always trying to provide us with different types of clothings to choose from, and they work day and night for us. The least we can do is to appreciate what we have.
-R
These are very good summarizations of many issues involved with sweatshop labor. It is true that many people working in sweatshop conditions have it rough. What would one suggest to get further away from the inadequate social standards? Unions? Education? Efficient physical capital (machines)?
ReplyDeleteHey Rolly,
ReplyDeleteYou offered a good explanation and example for the conditions in sweat shop environments. It is going to take more than just the individual consumer to instigate change in the substandard sweat shop conditions and in the end only corporations can be the ones who can really implement the vast structural changes needed. I don't know what the solution is but I do know there is already an infrastructure in place that already polices international business practice (WTO, IF), unfortunately it hasn't helped the millions employed in these sweat shops.
I agree , we as consumers can't really change the laborers' life by changing our consumer habits. It depends on the corporation if they are willing to improve their life and working conditions. But are the corporation willing to lose profits to improve laborers' life? I can't see that happening since profits are the only thing corporation seem to care.
ReplyDelete