A sweatshop can be defined simply as a shop or factory that employs workers at very low wages, working for long hours and in poor working conditions. Most of the workers employed in sweatshops are not offered benefits, and in most cases, are illiterate. Sweatshops are not only bad for the workers and the countries they are located in but also bad for America and the rest of the world. The common argument put forward by supporters of sweatshops, like that in the article by Nicholas Kristof (2009), is that they help unskilled workers gain skills and then further develop the economy. While this might appear to make sense on paper, a deeper analysis proves otherwise. Those who make this assumption fail to understand that some of the sweatshop workers …show more content…
For instance, the documentary titled Nike Sweatshops: Behind the Swoosh, Jim Keady highlights the pathetic life of Nike sweatshop workers in Indonesia. Workers are forced to share a small house with poor basic facilities. For instance, Jim and his partner were asked to live in a small 9 by 9 cement box, with no air conditioner and without furniture. The bathroom and toilet are shared, and the sewer lines are open. Under such conditions, workers are exposed to various diseases like cholera and typhoid. It becomes difficult for such workers to offer their families a decent life, and this also exposes their children to diseases and other dangers. As described by Jim, such living conditions strip off one’s dignity. Furthermore, the working conditions in the sweatshops are not friendly. Most of the workers are subjected to all forms of abuses in the factories, including sexual, verbal and physical abuses. Women, who are the majority of the sweatshop workers, are forced to take birth control and pregnancy tests so as to stop them from having children. They are denied the right to have families. This is also particularly the case for the vocal workers who attempt to fight for their rights or form independent labor unions. Overall, the working and living conditions of sweatshop workers are discouraging and violate basic human …show more content…
Although America has strict labor laws, there are a number of sweatshops that still operate in the country. Sweatshops only help to enhance exploitation, which is against the American ideal of democracy. Although some may argue that is the way capitalism operates, but it actually helps to grow an unjust and unbalanced society. As pointed out in the article by Laura Clawson (2013), sweatshops are an issue morality. Even if they are located abroad, the effects caused by sweatshops are felt by other nations as well. Developed nations like America spend millions of dollars in aid to countries such as Indonesia. Furthermore, the increase in the number of immigrants into America from developing nations is in itself a burden to America. Therefore, in the modern globalized society, one cannot ignore what is happening in other countries. It affects us