JAH23
4th February 2010, 06:29
I did a project on Child Labor last semester, and showed the atrocities that children are forced to do, just to survive and make a living wage to buy life's necessities. I'm sure all of you know, child labor is prevalent in the United States, but is very widespread in foreign countries. My question is: Do you think child labor should be outlawed in countries, such as Pakistan or Indonesia, where children work in dangerous situations and are prone to injury or death? Keep in mind these kids work to help support their families and buy food, clothing, and shelter.
While I am kind of unsure about this issue, I definitely think there should be restrictions on the type of work children are allowed to do, and the conditions in which they are working. While it would be great to have these kids in schools learning, I also know that their elders probably do not make enough money to live a decent life. Also, I am strictly talking about today's capitalist society.
What seems uneasy about this issue is that I hear officials from the US say that we should punish countries that allow children to work, and this, to me, seems a little intrusive. It seems that it would be Western society forcing its beliefs on different cultures.
While I am kind of unsure about this issue, I definitely think there should be restrictions on the type of work children are allowed to do, and the conditions in which they are working. While it would be great to have these kids in schools learning, I also know that their elders probably do not make enough money to live a decent life. Also, I am strictly talking about today's capitalist society.
What seems uneasy about this issue is that I hear officials from the US say that we should punish countries that allow children to work, and this, to me, seems a little intrusive. It seems that it would be Western society forcing its beliefs on different cultures.