Child Labor

---

Child Labor is always a controversial issue in international economics. Some say its a good thing because it gives them a means to feed themselves and their families. Western ideology think its bad because children should be in school getting educated...not working. And what about the low wages they're paid? Are they just cheap labor? Is child labor good for the country, its economy? What do you think?

Necessary evil

---

My opinion on this topic is that child labor is a part of a developing economy as working 12 hours a day for 35 cents. It is a burden on childen and a necessary evil. In a large family of 8 people, for example, all individuals have to contribute to the survival of the family due to the miniscule amount each individual earned. Being in school, for these families, is viewed as a time away from bringing food to the table.
Western countries or developed nations have a short-term memory when it comes to child labor in their own histories. Britain during its heyday of industrial revolution had thousands of children worked in their factories. Charles Dichens' (misspelled on purpose due to block on "bad word" by forum hehehe) Oliver Twist is a boy that was a product of Britain's child labor history. America in the 1900 used young boys and girls in factories and coal mines. Comparing the stage of Third World economies and their many shortcomes to the present stage of the developed nations is like comparing "apple to orange".

Neverthless, what I question is whether parents of Third World countries exhausted ALL their options before they send their kids to work. Do they give thoughts to the possible consequences and dangers? Do they have enough foresight to see the possible benefits for their children with education?

[Message last modified 02-13-2002 11:36am by gandalf]

[Message last modified 02-13-2002 11:39am by gandalf]

[Message last modified 02-13-2002 11:42am by gandalf]

Right!! Are parents altruistic? When you're struggling to feed yourself and your family....do you even have the option to be altruistic?

I think most parents want the best for their children. The problem some times, even if they are not preoccupied with daily life, is being able to conceptualize what other realities exist beside their own. If you grow up in an environment where all you know is farming, it is hard to imagine what a city is like. Socrate likes to tell a story to his pupils about men being chained up in a cave and was later freed. All of the men adventured outside and was scared back into the cave because being in sunlight was not their "normal" reality. Also, we habitually do things unless we are forced to change. An antecdote to this is about an anthropologist who was studying in a village. She noticed that the women of the town were sweeping with short handle "broom" causing them to hunch over. She of course tried to explain to them that it would better for their posture(back) if they find a "broom" with longer handle. They ignored her advice until she actually took a longer handle "broom" and swept the front of her hut. My point is Third World parents, in my opinion, do need guidances to show them alternative futures they and their children can have so that they break free from a cycle of poverty.

Gandalf

[Message last modified 02-14-2002 09:03am by gandalf]

[Message last modified 02-14-2002 09:05am by gandalf]

Child labor is a sad cycle of poverty. It's good because it gives a family a means of survival, but it breeds a country full of uneducated youngsters who in turn leads a family of uneducated laborers because he/she isn't making enough money and has to send his/her children to work to help the family get by instead of being in school. (I think that was the longest sentence that I've ever written.) So I think you can see this cycle of poverty that I'm getting at. This cycle has to be broken by the government of it's prospective nation. They can do this by ways of low income programs that helps support the family while the children attend school. This is nearly impossible though for a country that is already poor and their leaders corrupted.

ethically child labor is wrong. but sometimes kids have no choice. It very very tough issue to take side.

growin up in the western culture, child labor is very much frowned upon..because in the land of opportunities, children are expected to go to school n get an education..

but yeah, in a poor country, education isnt as important as gettin food on the table..i dont know much about child labor, but ive heard horrible stories..amputations, sexual abuse, etc..

i think that if its impossible to escape, then those who employ these children should incorporate education n health management into the job..there should also be strict regulations on workin hours n what type of labor it is..sure they are employees, but they are also children, n children should be children sometimes, if not all..

 

---

Woah... I was just looking over what I last wrote and there were like 15 run-on sentences. Time to go back to grammar school.

INCORPORATING EDUCATION & HEALTH MANAGEMENT

This is a great suggestion on the surface, but when you look deeper into it, there's some big problems.

The major problem is money. Enterprises are in the business of making money; they will not volunteer to take on added expenses. The suggestion above will add on some major expenses to any business. The only way it will work is government intervention. The government must take the initiative to regulate these programs and make participation mandatory.

In looking out for the child laborers, the government must also protect the businesses. These programs may cause some enterprises to go into the red, so tax breaks and government subsidies are a must.

This is a tremendous burden for a poor government (and most governments where child labor exists are poor), so what can they do? They can approach the developed countries for aid or make a case for aid through the UN or the IMF.

humm, i understand how money could be a problem..it would cost alot to ensure an education n good health, just as it does everywhere else..but shouldnt sacrifices be made for the benefit of the children? after all, they are the future..n if they are uneducated, they wont get far..n its very likely that if they have children, their kids will repeat this cycle..n healthwise, if they arent well taken care of, who's to say that they will even have a future