Cultural Relativism and Child Labor
Cultural Relativism and Child Labor
Child Labor The use of child labor in developing nations is not a moral issue, it is a cultural one. International corporations should not let the moral argument or current legislation such as the Child Labor Deterrence Act (CLDA) influence how and where they conduct operations. Grounded in what appears as legitimate concern for children, proposed legislation such as the CLDA hinder the potential growth and progress of developing nations by limiting the number of corporations who are willing to set up operations within developing countries. The fallacy with CLDA and similar legislation is that they based on a one-sided moral perspective that inhibits change in developing countries by preventing economic growth rather than promoting it. The use of child labor should be approached from a culturally relevant viewpoint so that legislation can be passed to protect child laborers in both established and developing industries in developing countries rather that preventing international corporations from setting up operations for fear of possible legal repercussions or damage to their reputation. International corporations are in a position to promote growth, provide sustainable employment, and foster an environment where changes in cultural perspectives and thinking are possible rather than preventing commerce which in turn prolongs development process of the county and ensures the use of child labor indefinitely. Utilization of child labor is not a new phenomenon. All of the developed nations in the world including Britain and the United States (US) at one time relied on the use of child labor during their industrialization phases to develop industries and grow their economies to a point where child labor was eventually curtailed and began to decline due to a wider distribution of wealth and leveling between the socioeconomic strata’s. The cessation of child labor coincided with the opportunity for families to be able to send
Child Labor The use of child labor in developing nations is not a moral issue, it is a cultural one. International corporations should not let the moral argument or current legislation such as the Child Labor Deterrence Act (CLDA) influence how and where they conduct operations. Grounded in what appears as legitimate concern for children, proposed legislation such as the CLDA hinder the potential growth and progress of developing nations by limiting the number of corporations who are willing to set up operations within developing countries. The fallacy with CLDA and similar legislation is that they based on a one-sided moral perspective that inhibits change in developing countries by preventing economic growth rather than promoting it. The use of child labor should be approached from a culturally relevant viewpoint so that legislation can be passed to protect child laborers in both established and developing industries in developing countries rather that preventing international corporations from setting up operations for fear of possible legal repercussions or damage to their reputation. International corporations are in a position to promote growth, provide sustainable employment, and foster an environment where changes in cultural perspectives and thinking are possible rather than preventing commerce which in turn prolongs development process of the county and ensures the use of child labor indefinitely. Utilization of child labor is not a new phenomenon. All of the developed nations in the world including Britain and the United States (US) at one time relied on the use of child labor during their industrialization phases to develop industries and grow their economies to a point where child labor was eventually curtailed and began to decline due to a wider distribution of wealth and leveling between the socioeconomic strata’s. The cessation of child labor coincided with the opportunity for families to be able to send
References: Bellamy, C. (2007). The State of the World 's Children 1997 Retrieved August 17th, 2011, from http://www.unicef.org/sowc97/report/ Carolyn, T. (2006). History repeats itself: Child labor in Latin America. (08927545). Retrieved August 31st, 2011 http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1124344651&Fmt=7&clientId=74379&RQT=309&VName=PQD Cultural-Relativism.com. (2011). Cultural Relativism - Illogical Standard Retrieved September 2nd, 2011, from http://www.cultural-relativism.com/ Edmonds, E. (2009). Child labor. Proquest Retrieved September 1st, 2011 http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1964450701&Fmt=7&clientId=74379&RQT=309&VName=PQD Montero, D. (2006). Nike 's dilemma: Is doing the right thing wrong? Retrieved August 19th, 2011, from http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/1222/p01s03-wosc.html Number of child labourers up by 20pc during 2004-08. (2011). Proquest Retrieved August 28th, 2011, from Hindustan Times http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=2371296621&Fmt=7&clientId=74379&RQT=309&VName=PQD