Bigthink - Idea Comments Feed

Comment on: Re: Re: What is ethical globalization?

Bigthink — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 16:46:48 +0100

I am with you. If we could prevent third world children from being sold-out and also prevent consumers from being gouged, that would rock the house. I don't have a quick-fix for that one. A true global economy would stabilize the cost of goods made in that global economy.

Comment on: Re: Re: What is ethical globalization?

Bigthink — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 17:17:23 +0100

Maria,
I understand these things are going on, and I feel for these people. The things they are going through are absolutely human rights issues, and I never disputed that. What I was curious about is how paying more for foreign market goods rather than cheaper, local goods was going to be an over-all benefit. Yes, it would help them, but it would hurt me and the local economy.

Your comment does not answer this, but I do agree with the part about something needing to be done. Just don't make the cure as bad or worse than the disease.

Comment on: Re: Re: What is ethical globalization?

Bigthink — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 21:05:02 +0100

Forestwalker,
Consider the consequences of ignoring human rights, and it won%u2019t seem so mysterious.

If I told you that women and children in Africa were being forced into prostitution due to economic pressures, would paying a few extra cents for underwear really matter?

Consumers like you and me are not adequately informed to decide on such issues, and that contributes to human rights violations, because it exploits vulnerabilities for economic gain.

Why should we care about the rights of women and children in third world countries? If we don%u2019t become aware, then some one will use our ignorance for their economic advantage, and that violates everyone.

Comment on: Re: Re: What is ethical globalization?

Bigthink — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 23:01:29 +0100

I admit I am not an expert here, but from my understanding, one part of the problem is that developed nations push for the removal of trade barriers that protect industries in developing economies while refusing to remove trade barriers in their own countries. An important case of this is farming. Farming is one of the few areas developing countries can compete in with relatively little investment but countries like the US heavily subsidize their farmers, lowering the price of farm goods below what developing countries can compete with. It's not a case of our farmers competing directly with other farmers and producing better goods cheaper, which would be fair. Given that such subsidies are hindering the growth of third world countries it contributes to their populations remaining in poverty; this is where it becomes a human rights issue.

This is of course only one part of the problem. There are other areas (worker's rights, environmental protection) where corporations hinder developing countries because it is more profitable for them to remain cheap labor markets than costly employees with consumer power.

In theory developing nations should be a source of cheap labor for a relatively short period of time. As money flows into the country the standard of living should go up as well as the buying power of the individual. As individual incomes rise the country should become a target for companies to market their goods and services, moving the economy into full integration into the global economy. The problem is that many countries are being stifled from this dream and remaining nothing more than cheap labor markets; never achieving high enough wages to become viable consumers. This is not a result of free market trends but an aberration caused by unfair trade laws and business practices. If this continues the third world will become a collection of 'slave states', producing products for the developed countries.