| Grex > Hippie > #79: Child labour: To buy or not to buy? |
| Child labour: To buy or not to buy? | 
Nov 12 04:34 UTC 1996 |
There is a great deal of controversy these days about the use of child labour in India and other developing countries. Some people refuse to buy anything made in these countries because of the possibility that the product was made using child labour. Others feel that by supporting the small businesses now being started, they are contributing to the growth of the economy in that country and anre actually contributing to the eventual prosperity of those children's families. It's a tough one. Which way do you go on this question?
| response 1 of 4: |
Dec 5 23:49 UTC 1996 |
I started working at age 12, mowing lawns, raking leaves, shoveling
snow and pullin weeds. I had my first "job" at age 14 in a restraunt.
I think that some of it is good, some of it is exploitation....
| response 2 of 4: |
Jun 20 14:30 UTC 1997 |
It's really a tough Qn to asnwer. B'cause u can not have an unequivocal answer for this. In developing and under developed countries it is not the question of exploitation only.most of the children are coming to work out of family situation- he may have to work for his own survival , may not have his parents support or very poor family. By saying no to goods made by child labour we are making life still worse for him.
| response 3 of 4: |
Aug 4 17:06 UTC 2000 |
Hi, I am from India. As Krisna Prakash says, that many people are coming to wrok out of compulsion. But I don't think that America or any other country has any moral responsibility to help our children. The effort and idea and commendable and appreciated. However, by not buying stuff suspected of being made by children, who might have been through conditions that are not fit to be called humane( like they had in early nineteenth century Britan) I think that the American's are doing ok. That will force the GOI, which has been sitting on its butt for over a million years now, or so it seems to me, to actually do something about the social conditions in India. It seems wrong to try to alliviate poverty and support families that are being crushed by making Americans buy Indian products. It is our job and we should be doing it. THanks, Aseem.
| response 4 of 4: |
Feb 23 18:57 UTC 2001 |
i think it's nice that those kids have something to do!