What reasons can you give me to support the idea that buying clothes made in sweatshops is ethically acceptable?
by 
Jadey - Vive la difference
ANSWERS: 8
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This is one of those damned-if-you-do and damned-if-you-don't problems in ethics. The main counterpoint is that if you don't buy the clothes based on ethical concerns, the people working those jobs become a little less secure about their income. In 3rd world countries, high unemployment is the norm and there's zillions of people waiting to take that crappy job -- people who will do almost anything to earn some money to feed their family. So punishing the supply chain by refusing to buy is also punishing the people you're trying to help. I think maybe this just isn't a very good way to express your desire to help the poor. The problem in those countries is complex, an interlocking weave of issues with politics, culture, infrastructure, social and business customs, and international finance flows. A simple "I won't buy from those people" is unlikely to be the key that fits the lock... to really help is probably going to require more direct engagement.
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Let's see, a person that makes 50 cents a week in a third world country is living pretty good compared to what their compatriots are making. You could look at it as buying a product that keeps a factory open that pays the people who work there in order to feed their families. Otherwise those people have no work, no money and no food.
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honestly I dont "support" sweat shops or anything but I buy whatever clothing or shoes I like and am not concerned with ethics in this case. It is always a plus when something is made in the USA and if I have a choice, that will usually make my desicion for me.
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What else are children going to be doing to earn a living to support their families? You might as well get a great price for a product b/c in reality, you can't change the world. Keep them in business and save money, its a win-win.
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Ethics are a matter of perception, therefore when survival is more of a priority, ethics become less so. For instance, a person who steals to survive, in my opinion, isn't necessarily unethical, criminal yes, unethical no. . So is it wrong for an impoverished person to take advantage of lower priced goods in order to survive? I think no. But then the line of when it is ok to buy unethically produced goods becomes blurry due to differing cost of living expenses for each person in each area of the world. . There is also the problem of forcing the unethically made goods workers out of their jobs. Is it wrong to force someone further into poverty for your ethics? It's tough, but we all have to find a way to survive. The ones who take advantage of this type of society are quite obviously, the richest people. Since it is essentially a "pyramid scheme" the best way to bring ethics to these sweatshops is to somehow get those at the top (i.e. the richest folks) to be more ethical which would allow the rest of us to avoid these questionably ethical situations.
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because, as little as the sweatshop workers make, it's better then nothing at all. think about it, you have a family to support and there is only one, low paying crappy job available and 2000 applicants, wouldn't you do ANYTHING to keep that job so your family would have SOMETHING to eat? if you refuse to buy from sweatshops you are not hurting the owners, they just lower pay and or sell to someone else, you are only hurting the lowly employees.
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Sweatshops employ people that otherwise would not have a job or means to support their families. Sweatshop workers often earn more than their non-sweatshop worker counter-parts in the "host" country.
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none
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