People work in 'sweat shops' because it's their best option. The worst thing you can do is boycott them which makes their available choices even worse.
The best thing you can do is buy their cheap stuff which means more demand for labor which drives up wages. This is all very simple.
This is misguided at best.
If you really want to help the plight of Chinese laborers, buy Chinese.
But what you really want to do is always buy the cheapest product for the value. Because the cheapest product is liable to be made by someone somewhere with the worst working conditions and raising demand for their work is the only sustainable way to help their standard of living.
I disagree. But then I consider intangibles part of any P&L statement, too. Too many people forget that intangibles sell, and that suppliers must heed them. That's one of the reasons Marx, et al, were wrong. ^_^
Nothing to disagree with. If you don't buy their stuff they will be worse off. You may feel better if you don't consider what you're doing.
What intangibles? Do you think the pool of peasants working in worse situations that these 'sweat shop' workers are drawn from aren't considering intangibles as well as tangibles? Do you really want them not to even have the choice of working in that 'sweat shop'? That's all you would accomplish. "Sorry man, you keep working that hoe so I can feel caring!"
I'm pretty sure they would not appreciate your 'sympathy' if you asked them and would probably have something to say about the intelligence of Americans;)
*Nod* It is true that I want to create an economy where a state-run capitalism like Chinese or the old Soviet-style collectives (or their dire enemies, fascist governments where corporations are the senior partners) have to treat their workers better so that they can compete globally. It runs parallel to my desire to encourage altruism.
But then the same would apply in this country, too.
I could jump in the discussion about how better labor conditions just spontaneously combusts out of thin air, but I figure playing entanglement is better for my blood pressure.
Re: OT:Chandra finds superfluid in Nuetron starssonof2ravensFebruary 25 2011, 19:08:21 UTC
I figured you'd like it.
As to the leak comment, I'm pushing my sister in law to get her landlord to fix her windows. She can't shut some of them. She even has broken ones but the storm windows have that sealed. Unfortunately she is conflict adverse.
My house is a handful but i'm glad i don't have deal with a landlord anymore.
What's interesting is that after 30 years of Chinese rule...what has proven the fastest, the most transparent, and the most effective (even at 50% compliance) in improving working conditions? Apple's 2-3 year presence in factories or the state-run manufacturing (or worse) the rural agrarian industries that has been in place for decades
( ... )
Yeah I think Apple is overpriced gear for hipsters who want to appear nerd-chic. I see no reason to buy a smart phone that I can't actually write apps for my self, which if you're a real nerd, you want to do.
The Grass Crown is not a pleasant book, but a great read into how societies break apart in Civil War. It nicely bridges the height of the Marian period, and lays the groundwork for the Julian Civil Wars (which are extensions of the Marian-Sullan wars in some ways), without going to the obvious historical figure. (He only appears briefly as a boy.)
Besides if you skip out on Grass Crown, you can't continue through the whole chronology!
OK, I'll consider it. But I temper your recommendation with the fact that I know that you like studying cicil wars. ^_^ (And I wasn't at those barricades, either! ;) )
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The best thing you can do is buy their cheap stuff which means more demand for labor which drives up wages. This is all very simple.
This is misguided at best.
If you really want to help the plight of Chinese laborers, buy Chinese.
But what you really want to do is always buy the cheapest product for the value. Because the cheapest product is liable to be made by someone somewhere with the worst working conditions and raising demand for their work is the only sustainable way to help their standard of living.
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I disagree.
But then I consider intangibles part of any P&L statement, too.
Too many people forget that intangibles sell, and that suppliers must heed them.
That's one of the reasons Marx, et al, were wrong.
^_^
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What intangibles? Do you think the pool of peasants working in worse situations that these 'sweat shop' workers are drawn from aren't considering intangibles as well as tangibles? Do you really want them not to even have the choice of working in that 'sweat shop'? That's all you would accomplish. "Sorry man, you keep working that hoe so I can feel caring!"
I'm pretty sure they would not appreciate your 'sympathy' if you asked them and would probably have something to say about the intelligence of Americans;)
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*Nod*
It is true that I want to create an economy where a state-run capitalism like Chinese or the old Soviet-style collectives (or their dire enemies, fascist governments where corporations are the senior partners) have to treat their workers better so that they can compete globally. It runs parallel to my desire to encourage altruism.
But then the same would apply in this country, too.
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Rolling upside down.
As cmpriest might decribe it, she is offering the Venus Fly Trap Belly for petting (and as bait!).
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Hah, I like that expression. ;o)
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http://physics.aps.org/viewpoint-for/10.1103/PhysRevLett.106.081101
I could jump in the discussion about how better labor conditions just spontaneously combusts out of thin air, but I figure playing entanglement is better for my blood pressure.
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Saw the superfluid announcement --
Very cool, and thank you for posting here! ^_^
(Didn't remember to, myself.)
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As to the leak comment, I'm pushing my sister in law to get her landlord to fix her windows.
She can't shut some of them.
She even has broken ones but the storm windows have that sealed. Unfortunately she is conflict adverse.
My house is a handful but i'm glad i don't have deal with a landlord anymore.
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I love my location.
My place is a 1920s apt with character.
But yeah...
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Besides if you skip out on Grass Crown, you can't continue through the whole chronology!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masters_of_Rome
Tim C.
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LOL!
OK, I'll consider it.
But I temper your recommendation with the fact that I know that you like studying cicil wars. ^_^
(And I wasn't at those barricades, either! ;) )
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Civil, too!
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