I have a general question and some comments for those in this debate.
Have you any direct or close to direct understanding of the feeling of the
people in the poorer countries about the opening of factories by
American/European/multinational corporations in their neighborhood? Do any
of you know anyone who has spent considerable time in this area and have you
talked to them about this?
I have a middling amount of experience in this area. My uncle worked in the
barrios of Venezuela for about 25 years. Our church sponsors missions in
several poor countries, including Zambia, Mexico, and Guatemala. I have
gotten, from my contacts, a general sense of what is considered good and
what the residents of these countries consider bad.
I'll give an example of one goof form of investment, and one poor form.
Some firms, like United Fruit, have worked with the aristocracy that owned
plantations, which have forced the laborers to work on the plantations with
threats and intimidations. We've sent missionaries to Guatemala to work
with the poor people, including the Indians, and they have come back with
horror stories of men being killed when they refused to work on these
plantations.
Well, that is certainly wrong, and US companies should not be a party to
this. But, some of the same people point to the local shoe factory and call
it a beacon of hope for the town. Because of the money made by the people
in this factory, sewage and running water were installed and cinderblock
houses replaced tin shacks.
And, since the people spent a lot of the money locally, there is a
multiplier effect for their income.
I would like to ask, who should decide if a US factory is a good thing for
that country: them or us? If it is us, isn't that neo-colonial thinking?
With countries that are dictatorships, the problem is more difficult.
Still, if the US company lists the jobs and salaries, and there are 10x or
100x the number of applicants as jobs, and there is no evidence of the
government forcing people to apply, it would seem reasonable to conclude
that the people of that country consider those jobs good.
One thing worth mentioning is the base level from which people in these
countries are starting. I've visited my uncle and have seen the base level,
and have seen the next level up. I can't imagine any form of pollution more
dangerous to health than raw sewage running in the streets. Drinking water
contaminated with human waste has the greatest health impact of any form of
pollution.
Now, one could argue that these people are poor just because the US and
Europe exploits them. However, if one looks at the amount of trade between
countries, one sees that the G8 countries have not had that big of an impact
on the economies of these countries.
Further, one needs to remember how far we've gone in even the last 60 years.
In the US, in 1940, just over half of the houses had modern pluming
(defined as one toilet, one sink and one shower/bath). One does not need
exploitation to explain poverty around the world; it�s been the norm for the
whole world. (Not that exploitation has not taken place, but that poverty
would have been likely to continue to exist even without it).
So, I would argue that what we need to do is consider what is ethical
behavior on the part of Europeans and Americans in light of the desire and
need of the people of poorer countries to improve their lot in life.
If they freely welcome a US firm, who are we to say it is exploitive. It is
probable that, for the people working at the factories, it�s the best job in
town. While it is reasonable to argue against abuse, the normative low pay
and high unemployment and underemployment in these countries means that a
factory can pay far less than what it does in the US and still be hands down
the best opportunity that the people have.
So, the question becomes, are U.S. workers trying to protect their own hides
or the workers in other countries from being exploited. If it�s the former,
why is that moral? If it�s the latter, why shouldn't people decide for
themselves?
Dan'm Traeki Ring of Crystallized Knowledge.
Known for calculating, but not known for shutting up
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