Sweatshop

Whenever you hear the term "sweatshop" most people immediately think of inhumane child labor forced upon children in a third world country by a big company. It seems that "sweatshop" rightfully has a bad connotation. I recently heard some things that altered my perspective on US sweatshops, and should be considered before passing judgment.

The majority of workers in many sweatshops are 15 year-old girls. Many of their tasks do not fit National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) standards and injuries are common. For this reason many people despise the sweatshops and protest against them. However, most people do not consider the alternatives these children have. Many of these 15 year-old girls would have to turn to prostitution to survive, and in fact many did before the sweatshops were there. Besides the fact that prostitution has many more health, as well as psychological, hazards, the girls can make a better leaving at the sweatshops.

What about the other children? The other children could work at other non-US factories, make less money, and be subject to just as bad if not worse conditions. Many people do not think about why children in third world countries work in US sweatshops. It isn't because the US forces them to, it is because it is their best alternative.

Until these countries develop into a middle class society their children are forced to carry a terrible burden. The burden is not placed on the children by US sweatshops, but by the poor conditions of the country. I am not saying sweatshops are the answer to their problems, but they provide many of the children with a better alternative. Their pay is usually twice the local factory's pay. It is for this reason that people should help these children by developing their society into a productive economy, before trying to shut down the sweatshops.