The True Cost Analysis

In this paper, I will introduce and summarize the documentary, explain the application of deontological ethics to the moral question posed by the use of sweatshops (factories with extreme exploitation, fear and intimidation, arbitrary punishment, and poor working conditions), and conclude my paper (Mount Holyoke College). The documentary “The True Cost” is an excellent documentary detailing the use of sweatshops in the fashion industry, and how the pursuit of profits by large multinational companies has changed both the landscape of the fashion industry, but also that of farmers (literally), and political landscapes in nations. In the documentary, which serves as a sort of expose on the fashion industry’s use of such factories, there are numerous

For me, deontological ethics provides a rigorous determination of morality and the laws surrounding it. With deontological ethics, I can determine if my actions are moral, instead of considering if the greater good is served (Utilitarianism and consequentialism). The morality for the documentary relating to the aforementioned ethics is somewhat evident. Given that in deontological ethics, the morality of an action is found in an action itself, the morality of using sweatshops would be found to immoral. In a further dissection of deontological ethics, applying the usage of sweatshops to Immanuel Kant’s Categorical Imperative finds that action is immoral. One of the reasons for this is that in Kant’s deontological ethics, one should never use another human as a means to an end (Alexander). In the exploitation and dehumanization of workers at the garment factories, owners of the factories and the companies that receive their product from these factories are using these workers as a means to an end. Another dimension of Kant’s deontological ethics, one should only consider an action moral if it should be applied as a universal law. In a sort of “Golden Rule” way, this rule also helps to provide stringent moral evaluation to decisions. In the exploitation of workers, one should not apply that as a universal law because then the exploitation of any form of labor (workers,

In this, I found that students like me play a large role in the anti-sweatshop movement (Pookulangara, Shephard, and Mestres). In that study, the researchers also found that this movement is an important and plays an important role in the amount of student activism. In short, the anti-sweatshop movement is among the more popular movements in student activism. Among the more general population, this issue should matter because Gap, H&M, Walmart, Hanes, J.C. Penney, and Puma (Institute for Global Labour and Human Rights) are some of the biggest fashion brands in the United States, and they’ve been found to exploit their workers (Chamberlain). However, consumers find it okay to buy shoes or other clothing items when companies use sweatshops depending on how strong their personal opinion of such an item is (Georgetown University). In this, I have found it that in order for me to be the most moral that I can be, I should stop buying these