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Sweat Shops Many people in developed countries refuse to by things made in developing countries using cheap labour. They would rather buy things made in developed countries. This just improves things for the rich in developed countries and makes things worse for the poor in developing countries.
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Many Australians say that we should buy Australian-made clothing etc., even though it is more expensive than the equivalent products made in Vietnam, Bangladesh and similar places. The rationale is partly to support the local Australian Industry. But more importantly, it is because the imported products are often made in sweat shops where women work hard for long hours in difficult and often sometimes conditions for very little pay. The idea is that we are condoning and encouraging such things if we buy the products they make. But suppose everyone stopped buying such goods. What would be the consequence? It would provide a bit of a boost to the Australian economy and provide a few more jobs. Though it would also push up clothing prices. But it would have a detrimental effect on the Asian economies. If demand for their products dropped, many of the sweat shop workers would be out of work. Some Australians might see that as a good thing, but people work in those places because doing so is better than any available alternative. People who become unemployed in Australia have a good chance of finding other employment. And, if they can’t, there is a social security system sufficient to allow them not to go hungry. The situation in Bangladesh isn’t as rosy. Being unemployed can make life much more difficult. Despite this, those who say we should buy Australian-made obviously feel that it is more important for an Australian to have a job than for a Bangladeshi to have one, and that it is better to support the Australian economy and living standards than to support those of Bangladesh, even though Australia already has one of the world’s highest standards of living and Bangladesh has one of the lowest. This way of thinking suggests that citizens of other countries don’t matter as much and don’t deserve the same human rights as citizens of Australia. Maybe Bangladeshis just don’t deserve a decent life, even if they are prepared to work 12 hours a day in a sweat shop, whereas Australians do deserve a decent life even if they don’t want to work at all. Supporting poor Asian economies will help lift them out of poverty and make conditions better for their workers. This is probably a better approach to the problem of sweat shops than putting them out of business and all their employees out of work.
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Sweat Shops

Many people in developed countries refuse to by things made in developing countries using cheap labour. They would rather buy things made in developed countries. This just improves things for the rich in developed countries and makes things worse for the poor in developing countries.

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Many Australians say that we should buy Australian-made clothing etc., even though it is more expensive than the equivalent products made in Vietnam, Bangladesh and similar places.

The rationale is partly to support the local Australian Industry. But more importantly, it is because the imported products are often made in sweat shops where women work hard for long hours in difficult and often sometimes conditions for very little pay. The idea is that we are condoning and encouraging such things if we buy the products they make.

But suppose everyone stopped buying such goods. What would be the consequence?

It would provide a bit of a boost to the Australian economy and provide a few more jobs. Though it would also push up clothing prices.

But it would have a detrimental effect on the Asian economies. If demand for their products dropped, many of the sweat shop workers would be out of work. Some Australians might see that as a good thing, but people work in those places because doing so is better than any available alternative.

People who become unemployed in Australia have a good chance of finding other employment. And, if they can’t, there is a social security system sufficient to allow them not to go hungry. The situation in Bangladesh isn’t as rosy. Being unemployed can make life much more difficult.

Despite this, those who say we should buy Australian-made obviously feel that it is more important for an Australian to have a job than for a Bangladeshi to have one, and that it is better to support the Australian economy and living standards than to support those of Bangladesh, even though Australia already has one of the world’s highest standards of living and Bangladesh has one of the lowest.

This way of thinking suggests that citizens of other countries don’t matter as much and don’t deserve the same human rights as citizens of Australia. Maybe Bangladeshis just don’t deserve a decent life, even if they are prepared to work 12 hours a day in a sweat shop, whereas Australians do deserve a decent life even if they don’t want to work at all.

Supporting poor Asian economies will help lift them out of poverty and make conditions better for their workers. This is probably a better approach to the problem of sweat shops than putting them out of business and all their employees out of work.

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