The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #119036   Message #2578728
Posted By: Sandy Mc Lean
01-Mar-09 - 04:00 PM
Thread Name: BS: Chinese sweatshops/cost of your computer
Subject: RE: BS: Chinese sweatshops/cost of your computer
I am all for development in the third world, but it should be done for the betterment, not the exploitation of its people. Wages should reflect the value of the goods produced, and the health and safety of the workers should be much more important than any production quotas. People who exploit young children in sweat shops should spend an eternity in Hell sitting close to the furnace. The natural resources of these countries should belong to and be developed for the people, rather than to boost some corporate bottom line.
Corporate greed, sadly rules the world. It has built a global economy that now lies beyond the control of any government. It has created a monster that somehow must be tamed, but I probably will never live to see it happen.
A few years ago a big (brand name) sneaker manufacturer moved it's production from the USA to China. It then used sweat shops paying workers pennies a day to crank out it's product. It then paid some over the hill athlete, a basketball player I believe, a million dollars to stamp his name on them. The inequity of this was a disgrace but the product sold well and the company flourished.
In civilized countries trade unions play a large part in raising the living standards of the workers, but in the third world union leaders and organizers are often imprisoned and sometimes shot. Corrupt governments are more thean willing to turn a blind eye for a corporate bribe. Governments in the illustrious G8 only pay lip service to human rights violations, and collectively kiss the international corporate arses!