I am going to weigh in on the subject of sweatshops here. I have a
slightly different insight into this particular subject because I
lived and did business in southeast asia for about 15 years, primarily
Indonesia, Taiwan and Thailand. In all of these countries, I saw some
pretty appalling factory conditions. However, it is very important to
keep perspective. These factories offer OPPORTUNITIES for the people
who work there. They actually IMPROVE the lives of the majority of
people who work in them. But to know this, you have to understand
where the people who work in them actually come from.
Factory workers largely come from the overcrowded countryside which no
longer offers even subsistence living.
Without these factories, there would be mass starvation in countries
like China and Vietnam. From our comfortable American vantage point
it may seem brutal but don't be fooled. Because of it, China now has
a burgeononing middle class where there once was nothing. Quality of
life in that country grows by leaps and bounds. The United States
made this possible. The Chinese LAUGH at American concerns over
factory conditions there.
For the most part, factories producing goods destined for the US are
the good ones. People line up to work in these factories. They are
considered PLUM.
The real reason that companies like Walmart and Nike and a few others
are targeted for alleged labor abuse is because they have deep pockets.
If you really want to improve the lives of hundreds of millions of
people, find a way to pressure China to release its grip on North
Korea and Burma. Those two countries can only wish for sweatshops at
this point.
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AsburyPark/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AsburyPark/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
