Child Labor

Child Labor

When child labor is examined, individuals and societies feel moral and emotional tugs. The Freudian super ego is appalled that, especially in the modern world, there would be such a preposterous issue. The Freudian id would rationalize numerous reasons, even justifications, of why child labor exists and would be necessary. Every corner of the earth has known this conflict to one degree or another. In the United States, the conflict is activated or denied with the purchase of an expensive sneaker. The child who is exploited on the other side of the world rarely receives a nod of concern for the slavery he endures. Countless items are similarly purchased with similar child working conditions. The children of note are under fifteen years of age and economically active. There are 120 million of these exploited human beings who work full time, often ten hours per day.

The three C’s of child labor are its causes, consequences, and cures. Causes and cures receive the greatest focus, but the consequences of child labor are far-reaching and long lasting. Yesterday’s child laborers are today’s uneducated, non-productive adults.

Statistics indicate improvement in child labor issues, but trends can be reversed easily. Some child labor is more service-oriented and not a part that can be challenged by a boycott or legislation. Child labor in some countries involves being a servant who does not produce goods. Before identifying the consequences of child labor, probable causes and possible cures must be identified.

The causes of child labor are many, including poverty, poor education, limiting workers’ rights, poor laws for child labor, global competition, free trade rules, and structural a...

... middle of paper ...

... labor problems are in the past. But even in developed countries, examples of child labor abuse are present in agricultural and service industries. There is still much work to be done educationally, politically and legally.

Bibliography

Hutchins, B.I. and A. Harrison. 1903. A History of Factory Legislation. London: P.S. King and Son. [References to 1966 ed. By London: Cass.]

http://econ.cudenver.edu/beckman/econ4410/basu.pdf

http://scsc.essortment.com/federalchildla_rgpg.htm

http://www.continuetolearn.uiowa.edu/laborctr/child_labor/about/global_economy.html

http://www.hrw.org/wr2k2/children.html

http://www.empereur.com/DOC/Child_Labor.html

http://www.unicef.org/protection/index_childlabour.html

Weiner, Myron. 1991. The Child and the State in India: Child Labor and Education Policy in Comparative Perspective. Princeton: Princeton U. Press.