More on the evils of coke World trade questions

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 8/15/2004 1:08:53 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

sammy_bates writes:

I am horrified to learn that the labour of children as young as eight years

old is being exploited!

 

The stories of Charles Dickens depicts the dire problems faced by working

children, lost children, abandoned by their parents in Britain not so long

ago. True it happens still in other parts of the world.

 

On the other hand what better way to pass the day than to go to work with

mum and dad? In societies that do not enjoy a modern infrastructure with

child nurseries, kindergarten and primary schools forming continuity from

birth, the workplace itself provides both working parents and children with

a community based nexus for education and social support.

 

There are always two sides to the coin. I'd like to see Coke properly

audited, with the social value / safety of children accompanying their

mothers and fathers to the cane fields included. If this is done properly

then it paves the way for introduction of work based nurseries, health care

and so on - without disrupting local economic dependencies. If the auditing

and criticism is done badly it just drives the problem underground.

 

Karl Marx once said that " work is man's natural activity " that goes for

women and kids as well. We all need to do something productive. The problem

of how that need for productive activity is exploited by employers is

another matter.

 

Cheers,

 

Sammy.

 

 

With world trade and a more global economy, the question of trade law

becomes a difficult one. Questions like, should we do trade with countries that

pollute the environment with compounds we have outlawed years ago. Should the

EU be forced to open their trade to some of our products that are produced

with compounds they have banned long ago? Should we make our farmers compete

with third world nations that use kids in a way that many would consider child

abuse?

There are no easy answers. The reality is as the world continues to grow

tougher, there will be abuses and unfair situations that arise.

Many people in the US are upset because jobs are going to other

countries, but fail to realize just how much cheaper it is to produce mass

quantities

other countries.

I think we get to come up with some way of making sure the countries we

do business with follow a similar set of labor and pollution rules.

Otherwise it will be financially irresponsible for big business to make

anything in " Clean " countries and basically all mass industry will go away from

responsible countries for cheaper, easier and dirtier countries.

 

Just a thought,

 

Chris