Why do liberals think "sweatshops" are a bad thing?

Question

Those "sweatshops" are often the only jobs these people have. If you accept one fundamental concept; that people act in their best interest, then sweatshops make perfect sense. If the workers didn't think they were better off, they wouldn't work.

You cannot compare their wages to what wages in America are. $5 a day in their country is not like $5 in the U.S. In fact, the wages sweatshops pay are often among the best jobs in those countries, and on average pay more than twice what other jobs do. That's enough to raise those who work in "sweatshops" above the poverty line, should they do it consistently.

You cannot make companies pay them more, because if companies pay more they will hire less. There’s a downward sloping demand curve, that’s another fundamental concept of economics. Either some workers are paid more, or a lot of workers are paid enough. Or… companies just don't give them any jobs at all and they all starve. Pick the lesser evil. I know which I choose.

silverbirch, if that logic is wrong, then tell me why. Help it "come to me", because I'm actually interested in both sides.

hurricane, what are you talking about? The workers decide how many hours they want to work. No one forces them to come ot work. If they think they are working to much, they just don't come. It's as simple as that.

Conditions may suck, but again, compared to what? Compared to conditions in U.S. factories. I bet if you asked all those people that you didn't think they should work because it isn't safe, they'd disagree with you.

g, I was saying outsourcing is a good thing. I guess you missed that.

Answer 1

The main problem with 'sweatshops' isn't the pay, but the conditions these people work in.
They are overcrowded. Poorly lit factories. No Health and safety policies. Poor seating. Unreasonable hours of work. Usually small or no break times. No insurance. And underage workers.
What annoys intelligent people is the thoughtlessness of the "first world" contractors that support these slave shops knowing that in their own country they would be linched if they had done it there. Taking people's lives for granted just to make money is low, callous and selfish, and all companies investing in third world countries for the cheap slave labour should be boycotted!!
You should go work in one to see how it feels before supporting something so inhumane!

Answer 2

you were crying about outsourcing... but now defending their practices?

pick a side?

but, to address your question... first... they all wouldn't starve... that's now how the world works... show me a situation where a sweatshop closed down and everyone in the town died of starvation please... that's ABSOLUTELY REDICULOUS... and you're not even trying... or you just don't know what you're talking about...

sweatshops have closed down before... and a whole town dying WOULD make the news...

the real problems most have are the condidtions, not the pay... no care for human rights or care for if anyone is getting hurt... the governments don't enforce any penalties if they kill 5 people...

it really comes down to... do you value human life or not...

and you don't know that companies will hire less... it ALL DEPENDS on their profit margin and what they need to make... they will pay as little as they can, regaurdless of what they can afford to pay... demand curves are nice, but that's in an idea environment... ever been to a sweatshop? not quite ideal...

that's the thing that Republicans don't get... the real world doesn't always work out like it does on paper always...

what's funny is... you say the same thing about communism... but it's the same principal... things don't always work out on paper the way they do in real life... many more variables than are included on your little charts...

EDIT: did you read what you wrote first... you wrote the opposite of what you meant... if you meant to say that... I didn't miss it... you were very unclear...

Answer 3

Well let's see, first of all, they don't pay minimum wage, they pay by the unit, which is often far below even minimum wage. Then they steal it back through a variety of illegal fines and deductions, the people are often kept in near slave conditions and if that's not enough, the people that run the sweatshops are the very people hiring the illegal aliens we're trying to keep out.

Answer 4

Ahh , the comparative advantage theory. I always like that one .... true that outsourced labor creates employment opportunities in underdeveloped countries for people who otherwise would have to resort to subsistence farming in an every changing climate, or worse, prostitution of women and children or commit other ungodly acts to survive.
The term " sweatshop", however, is attributed to forced or unhealthy work conditions and I really do believe the world can do better than that.
Your other responders to this question seem to view sweatshops as it related to the conditions that plagued this country (I'm in the USA)in the 19th century in an otherwise healthy economy.
Thousands of people in poor nations have died of starvation and rampant untreated disease because of a lack of any economic means ..... and I mean thousands since we woke up this morning

Answer 5

That's not political criticism; it's just name-calling. When I hear talk like that I ask people what harm will come from which policies. Generally, people who are politically aware can get down to the concrete issues (pulling out of Iraq will be bad because .... or what have you.) People who can't articulate why "socialist" medical care is bad haven't done enough thinking to be trusted. Making (or preventing) real change in society requires much more than just knee-jerk reactions to labels like "capitalist" or "liberal".

Answer 6

i dont think its the job they are really talking about.

its the conditions. they need to make the conditions better so the workers are safer.

for ex.

they need to work 8 hrs. a day no more than 12hrs a day. cuz if you work too much you get tired and when someone is tired they are more likely to make a major mistake that could hurt them or even kill them.

they need cleaner conditions so they wont get sick.

and a little more money wouldnt hurt either.

Answer 7

Sweatshops are bad. Only liberals and Clintons should work in them.

Answer 8

See, the problem here is that you apply logic to the question instead of emotion. Thinking IS better than feeling.

Answer 9

Oh wow. It will come to you one day.