From the perspective of being in favor of ‘sweatshops’, I understand how they support and influence these countries by providing options for better employment. Author Nicholas Kristof, New York Times (online), states he lived in “East Asia, watching as living standards soared- “. This relates to the Benjamin Powell reading and how people hope to gain employment with these factories. Providing jobs to third world countries is better than digging through garbage (Kristof) or having to resort to prostitution (Powell). This closely relates to the “profit motive’ (Pg. 123) in the chapter reading supporting that ‘sweatshop’ workers have a self-interest for their choice in working long hours and in harsh working conditions.
Large conglomerates should continue to have sweatshops to encourage growth and development for third world countries. At the same time, the business approach needs some improvement, so not to take away jobs from these poorer countries. Sweatshops are an investment and part of that investment should be securing a safe and adequate factory for production. In doing so, it could save reputations, provide less chances of interruptions to production, and who knows it could be a tax write off.
Shaw, Willam H. Business Ethics: The Nature of Capitalism.Cengage Learning, 2017.
Powell, Benjamin. “In Defense of “Sweatshops”. The Library of Economics and Liberty. June 2, 2008. https://www.econlib.org/library/Columns/y2008/Powellsweatshops.html
Kristof, Nicholas. “Where Sweatshops Are a Dream’. Opinion, OP-ED Columnist, The New York Times. Jan. 14, 2009. https://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/15/opinion/15kristof.html?searchResultPosition=8
1 Comment for “M4Thornton”
ideasaw
says:I agree with the points you made in this post. Sweatshops are often perceived as cruel and unethical. Although working conditions and environment could be improved, overall sweatshops provide great economic benefits to both businesses and employees of third world countries. United States citizens view wages from sweatshops in third world countries as cruel and unfair. However, 31 cents a hour in a third world country is actually a good amount of income for the average worker. In fact, its higher than the national average. Like you mentioned, sweatshops do need improvements and modifications in the future. However, there is no denying the positive contributions sweatshops have made to society.