Why we should care
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Many people may ask why should we care about what is happening thousands of miles away from us. Sweatshops do affect Americans.
Human Rights - Americans have a long history of cherishing human rights. Our Constitution is founded on the principle that all people are created equal and have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. When we see injustice, whether at home or abroad, Americans instinctively intervene. When we see overseas factory owners taking advantage of their workers and subjecting them and their families to inhumane living conditions, we seek to help these workers who are not otherwise able to help themselves. In most of these countries, workers have little rights and are not able to stand up or strike for better working conditions. The owners of the sweatshops don't care about the workers. These owners care only about their profits even if they subject workers to horrific working conditions that are dangerous with little pay. As people in the U.S. benefit from the products made in these sweatshops, we not only need to acknowledge the work put into these items, but we should also help these laborers who are not able to fight for themselves. By raising our voices, their voices can be heard.
Economic Fairness - Because the United States has a higher standard of living than most of the countries with sweatshops, workers are paid more here and enjoy better working conditions. The minimum wage in China, for example, is the equivalent of fifty- five cents per hour. The minimum wage in the United States, by contrast, is $7.25 per hour. Because the minimum wage in the United States is higher, the cost of products made in the United States is higher than products made in China. Countries like China that have sweatshops, and can therefore produce products more cheaply than in the U.S, have a competitive advantage over the U.S. in selling their products. Not only are Chinese products less expensive than those produced in the U.S, but U.S. companies will use Chinese workers to produce their products which reduces the number of people in the United States who are employed by these companies. When we hear that "U.S. companies are shipping jobs overseas," that is because the sweatshops abroad make producing goods so cheap. As long as we buy these products, there will be sweatshops to produce them.
Human Rights - Americans have a long history of cherishing human rights. Our Constitution is founded on the principle that all people are created equal and have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. When we see injustice, whether at home or abroad, Americans instinctively intervene. When we see overseas factory owners taking advantage of their workers and subjecting them and their families to inhumane living conditions, we seek to help these workers who are not otherwise able to help themselves. In most of these countries, workers have little rights and are not able to stand up or strike for better working conditions. The owners of the sweatshops don't care about the workers. These owners care only about their profits even if they subject workers to horrific working conditions that are dangerous with little pay. As people in the U.S. benefit from the products made in these sweatshops, we not only need to acknowledge the work put into these items, but we should also help these laborers who are not able to fight for themselves. By raising our voices, their voices can be heard.
Economic Fairness - Because the United States has a higher standard of living than most of the countries with sweatshops, workers are paid more here and enjoy better working conditions. The minimum wage in China, for example, is the equivalent of fifty- five cents per hour. The minimum wage in the United States, by contrast, is $7.25 per hour. Because the minimum wage in the United States is higher, the cost of products made in the United States is higher than products made in China. Countries like China that have sweatshops, and can therefore produce products more cheaply than in the U.S, have a competitive advantage over the U.S. in selling their products. Not only are Chinese products less expensive than those produced in the U.S, but U.S. companies will use Chinese workers to produce their products which reduces the number of people in the United States who are employed by these companies. When we hear that "U.S. companies are shipping jobs overseas," that is because the sweatshops abroad make producing goods so cheap. As long as we buy these products, there will be sweatshops to produce them.