tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2830084253401570472.post5306610591921574016..comments2024-03-28T09:22:36.967+13:00Comments on Offsetting Behaviour: SweatshopsEric Cramptonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15831696523324469713noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2830084253401570472.post-59811372188755834332014-01-09T14:13:06.436+13:002014-01-09T14:13:06.436+13:00places where folks no less morally worthy than our...<i> places where folks no less morally worthy than ourselves work under worse conditions than us for less rewards,</i><br /><br />Their ancestors, at least, <i>were</i> less morally worthy than ours. Our ancestors built up the capital - not just the machines and factories, but the roads, the markets, the support businesses, the laws, the habits of societies, which make it possible for one family in Iowa to farm 100 times the land of one family in Bangladesh, or for an American factory worker to make 10 times as much as a Chinese one who works twice as many hours in a less healthy environment. <br /><br />Their ancestors did not. <br /><br />By the looks of it, many of those folks in the present aren't doing anything which would help build up the social capital (infrastructure and social relations) which would make possible better conditions for future generations.Anthony_Anoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2830084253401570472.post-88575424007904188652013-09-02T17:07:36.140+12:002013-09-02T17:07:36.140+12:00If I see someone who is facing terrible circumstan...If I see someone who is facing terrible circumstances and so make them an offer that is better than their current circumstances but still harmful to them, because it is in my interest to do so, is that morally right or wrong?Geoff Keeynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2830084253401570472.post-63720438650693801212010-07-14T20:01:53.218+12:002010-07-14T20:01:53.218+12:00This is just as much a political issue as an econo...This is just as much a political issue as an economic one; it's no coincidence sweatshops exist in countries with extremely lax labour laws.<br /><br />And I'm sure you don't really believe the economics of sweatshops are in equilibrium. They can't afford to pay more than 10/20c per hour without cutting staff? what a joke.Rossnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2830084253401570472.post-76165980703321886322010-07-13T09:54:20.857+12:002010-07-13T09:54:20.857+12:00@Ross: If you can come up with some way of getting...@Ross: If you can come up with some way of getting better conditions at zero cost that isn't already being implemented, you'd be doing a great service to the world. But improvements that ramp up costs to employers often result in some employees losing their jobs. So then which matters more: small gains to the folks keeping their jobs, or huge losses to the ones forced out?Eric Cramptonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15831696523324469713noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2830084253401570472.post-80735879184862587472010-07-12T18:30:40.593+12:002010-07-12T18:30:40.593+12:00This is bullshit. The choice is not between sweats...This is bullshit. The choice is not between sweatshops and 'Nirvana'. It's between conditions as they are now vs better conditions. All you're doing is making excuses to do nothing.Rossnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2830084253401570472.post-31180488647607929752010-05-31T22:00:12.391+12:002010-05-31T22:00:12.391+12:00@Anon: it's fine to want that, but when it'...@Anon: it's fine to want that, but when it's legislated, it puts poor people in poor countries out of work and into worse options.Eric Cramptonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15831696523324469713noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2830084253401570472.post-58041595186538460482010-05-29T01:26:05.909+12:002010-05-29T01:26:05.909+12:00Suddenly I'm the bad guy because I want worker...Suddenly I'm the bad guy because I want workers in other countries to work only 40-50 hours at most, not be treated cruelly, and not driven to suicide?!<br /><br />http://timesonline.typepad.com/urban_dirt/<br /><br />Forget it! I don't want utopia - I just want the people who make the things I buy treated decently, because I don't want karmic retribution in the afterlife. Plus it's the right thing to do.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2830084253401570472.post-34037437670420935332010-05-13T23:29:27.225+12:002010-05-13T23:29:27.225+12:00The only problem with sweatshops and 70-80 hour we...The only problem with sweatshops and 70-80 hour weeks is that <b>these aren't the norm in NZ</b><br /><br />Get some real reforms going here and it won't be a problem.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2830084253401570472.post-5175692516134652942009-09-05T17:17:13.386+12:002009-09-05T17:17:13.386+12:00This is a great post - thanks for the links to act...This is a great post - thanks for the links to actual research.Robert Wiblinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13954799089661405941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2830084253401570472.post-30578203033358928392009-06-09T03:17:44.361+12:002009-06-09T03:17:44.361+12:00Great piece. For the past few years I've time...Great piece. For the past few years I've time researched and written about much of what you've laid out here. I looked at the tags of my five favorite items of clothing and I followed them to the factories where they were made in Honduras, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, and a pair of old shorts to a factory in the U.S. <br /><br />I mostly agree with your assessment, although, I'm somewhat concerned about the apathy the "they could have it worse" mentality could lead to. Before Kristof wrote about the dump, I visited the exact same dump and wrestled with the same realizations. I think what we need to keep in mind is that these aren't "sweatshops" many of them are factories. But the workers could be treated better. In Cambodia the girls I met often had to pay a bribe to get the job. In China the workers would clock out and then go back to work. Often they would work more than 100 hours per week. <br /><br />Yes, these jobs are important, and even an opportunity, in some developing countries, but there is room for improvement.Kelseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02088536857799079287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2830084253401570472.post-41664405190052683782009-05-16T16:40:00.000+12:002009-05-16T16:40:00.000+12:00Really insightful article. Very well written, com...Really insightful article. Very well written, compassionate and grounded in reality. Thank you for sharing this point of view and for encouraging people to give to organizations that help children get off the streets and go to school. It seems to us that as the countries become more educated this will definitely fade. It is a symptom of a greater problem.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com