- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
The other evening, one of the news shows (Dateline, 20/20) did a segment on sweat shops - good or bad.
As a concept, I think that we're all opposed to sweat shops, but the segment is interesting because it presented the other side. A lot of experts and people who relied on working at sweat shops say that it helps their country.
Many people in these 3rd World countries rely on these jobs to put food on their tables and care for their children. Otherwise, the families would starve and many [especially the young girls] would turn to prostitution to help their families.
The experts say that the post sweat shop generations are given more opportunities because they were able to eat and perhaps go to school. The next generations usually move onto better jobs because of better education, etc.
The segment also interviewed a group of college kids who protest against 3rd world sweat shops. When presented with the attitudes of the people they were trying to help, they could still only view it from their standpoint. They said they wanted these people to earn at least the same minimum wage salaries as the US. They failed to realize that this would be an absolute fortune in these countries and that most of them can't even earn a basic living without a job in a sweat shop.
Definitely gives some room for thought. Is there a problem with sweat shops if they are safe and clean and pay a fair wage for that area? Are those of us in developed nations too protected in our ivory towers to realize that we can't judge based upon our standards, but should compare to the other parties' actual standards?
Keep in mind, I'm still opposed to shops that are unsafe and overwork people.
As a concept, I think that we're all opposed to sweat shops, but the segment is interesting because it presented the other side. A lot of experts and people who relied on working at sweat shops say that it helps their country.
Many people in these 3rd World countries rely on these jobs to put food on their tables and care for their children. Otherwise, the families would starve and many [especially the young girls] would turn to prostitution to help their families.
The experts say that the post sweat shop generations are given more opportunities because they were able to eat and perhaps go to school. The next generations usually move onto better jobs because of better education, etc.
The segment also interviewed a group of college kids who protest against 3rd world sweat shops. When presented with the attitudes of the people they were trying to help, they could still only view it from their standpoint. They said they wanted these people to earn at least the same minimum wage salaries as the US. They failed to realize that this would be an absolute fortune in these countries and that most of them can't even earn a basic living without a job in a sweat shop.
Definitely gives some room for thought. Is there a problem with sweat shops if they are safe and clean and pay a fair wage for that area? Are those of us in developed nations too protected in our ivory towers to realize that we can't judge based upon our standards, but should compare to the other parties' actual standards?
Keep in mind, I'm still opposed to shops that are unsafe and overwork people.