My Foreign Policy Rant

So, I was doing a bit of reading for my “Global Issues and Society” class, and I found myself assaulted with many horror stories concerning the overwhelming amount of child labor that goes on in 3rd world countries, including from many of the huge corporations that we all buy from on a daily basis. What I found a bit unfair is how the book (and, of course, the reasoning extends beyond the textbook) attacks the corporations’ use of child labor as an absolute crime against humanity. Honestly, generally speaking, I find the corporations giving jobs to children to be a good thing. Granted, I’m not saying children working in deplorable conditions for horrible wages is ever really a “good” thing, but when the alternatives are hunger, prostitution, and death, I think it’s fair to say that the kids are better off working.

Now, that’s not to say that the worldwide economic inequity is something that should be ignored, rather it should be looked at rationally instead of pointing fingers at corporations as if they’re the ones carrying the poverty into the impoverished countries. And, yes, worldwide economic inequity is unfair, but that doesn’t inherently mean it’s all our fault either (or all within our control). Nor does it mean the entire situation is easily solved with a few new policies and good intentions. The primary reason there is so much economic inequity in the first place is stupid governmental policies, and the solution to that is not to institute more stupid governmental policies, no matter how tempting that may be.

And that’s my foreign policy rant. I’m sure you were all fascinated. Or maybe not. What can I say, Heather’s gone for the weekend . . .