Invisible Hands

Look around you. What do you see? Stuff! Where does it come from? From the picture frame on your wall to the rice in your pantry to the clothes on you back, where does it come from? The obvious answer would be, “Oh the store.” What many don’t take the time to think about is, where are these things coming from before we see them at the store. 

 We have all seen labels that indicate where the things we purchase are made: China, Vietnam, Mexico, India, Bangladesh or at times even smaller countries, cites or communities that are not recognized. We see these labels and associate it with a  foreign distant land but we don’t decipher what these labels mean. What it actually means to be “Made in China” or India, Etc. The reality of these labels is abuse of human rights that inlays our global economy. 

While we’re here, in America the land of abundance and opportunity other countries are not as fortunate as us. It is federal law to be paid a minimum wage and to have certain rights when in the workforce. In other third world countries there are no such laws the prohibits child labor and slavery. 

"Slavery is illegal throughout the world, yet more than twenty-seven million people are still trapped in one of history's oldest social institutions." -Kevin Bales author of Disposable People

 The working conditions in third world counties are brutal and dangerous with very little to no pay. Conditions consist of intensively chemically hazardous environments, scratching the earth with crude tools for minerals like gold or tantalum, mining deep in the amazon with soldiers pointing machine guns watching over, 16 or more hour days with no breaks in sweat shops, children being whipped to pick produce, among many other things that go on. This is wrong, inhumane and completely sickening but it is the reality of  how our global economy  functions and we participate in this cycle everyday by using commodities such as  coffee, cotton or spices to cook. Free to cheap labor means lower prices for people like you and me which then translates to a better economy because we spend our money.

 There is a lot of bad but you might be asking is EVERYTHING done by slaves? Is there any way around it. There is!  If you look hard enough there are products that are considered Fair Trade.  Fair trade is when the people working are treated ethically and have a justified pay. These products tend to be slightly more expensive but when put in perspective, is not having people slave and be tortured for you not worth a couple extra bucks?

So yes it is horrible and yes it is every where but how do we stop it? What can we do? This is a huge issue and there are many people trying to put a stop to it, but like in many other cases union is power. It is spreading the knowledge by word of mouth and true stories that one can really raise awareness. Talk about it. YOU can make a difference!