I have visited a number of 3rd world countries, India, Eritrea, taught in Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, etc. and been to factories.
Given that slavery is dead, people take advantage of the best available opportunities they have. Some are horrible, like having 7-8 year old girls sold into prostitution in Ethiopia. However, when I visited a furniture factory in India, the pay was $2 per day, twice the minimum wage, but way below US standards. There was a huge waiting list for jobs. Take away the jobs by requiring higher pay, and the opportunities will disappear. Given jobs, there will be development of capital, investment, more jobs, and a demand for labor--which will do more to increase wages than any intervention. When I spoke to an English social organizer who was hired as a consultant to protect the Ethiopian prostitutes, she said their families would either starve or sell their daughter. That is grim. As the world gets richer, hopefully people won't face that decision.
My grandparents worked in the sweat shops in NY, and that became a good place to be from.
The economy is global, and the laws of supply and apply globally.
Brian--I agree with your sentiments, but I think if you asked the factory workers, they would want jobs before anything else. |
