We have goods made and imported every day into this country made with child labor. Is it OK as long as we don't think about it?
2007-03-13 04:06:34 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
That seems to be the general consensus, yes.
People don't give a damn as long as it doesn't affect their lives personally.
2007-03-13 04:09:47 · answer #1 · answered by Blue 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
In many countries, child labor and what we would call 'sweatshop' labor are common. These are not great jobs, but they are usually better jobs than any other jobs available in the area. When your nation is at 45% unemployment, any job starts to look good. And remember, it was less than 100 years ago when many Americans worked as just such jobs. Read "The Jungle" by Upton Sinclair. Really nasty, dangerous work. But that's the work that Americans were doing in the early 1900s.
2007-03-13 11:14:39 · answer #2 · answered by Chredon 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hey, you know - it depends.. I live in a third world country and sometimes people in the developed world just don't get the realities... sorry - not to be harsh - - but some kid who goes to work in a factory to earn a couple of bucks to buy medicine for his grandfather or food for his baby sister.. well, you know, it wasn't like if he stayed in school he would have an oppt to be a doctor or lawyer... I know, sometimes this stuff is sad - life can be much tougher than most Westerners realize..
ok - my nephew came and asked me for work watering the garden when he has time so that he can have an extra few dollars to go to high school... yes, I would have just given it to him - but he wanted to work for it - - he's 13.. and you know - its ok that he work when he has time - he's a good boy - ok, so I got him a computer too.. how fortunate we are!! His aunt, my wife had to go to work full time at age 13.. -
most people have it much much worse.. they go to work at any early age to survive.. so is it acceptable?? To who? These people do it to eat !!! The fact that others sit and debate whether it is acceptable - well, it would seem a silly pre-occupation to a hungry child.. wouldn't it?
2007-03-13 11:28:03 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's not so bad if its the child's choice to work. Otherwise he/she would probably be doing something worse, like foraging through a dump.
The fact that they chose to work means its better then the alternative (which may be starvation).
The real solution is to try to develope countries so that child labour is unnecessary. To ban it outright is short-sighted.
2007-03-13 11:10:32 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Countries like China and most of the middle east don't have a problem with it -- they often encourage it.
In fact, in the middle east they can torture or even kill children employees with immunity.
2007-03-13 11:16:29 · answer #5 · answered by spunk y 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. But child labour is so widespread that it would be impossible to boycot all products made using their services. It is horrible to reflect that nearly 200 years after William Wilberforce child slavery -- and indeed, slavey generally -- is still rife. http://www.anti-slaverysociety.addr.com/hieroraf.htm
2007-03-13 11:13:38 · answer #6 · answered by Doethineb 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
even if we do think about it, it is ok. There is nothing wrong with child labor. let them earn money for their families. better the kid works than the family starves.
2007-03-13 11:10:45 · answer #7 · answered by lundstroms2004 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋