QuakerInfo.com Forum

[Frank]

Quakers, too, are the folks who brought you, "let your life speak." Our forbears did not draw a line between business and personal decisions, but expected the Light to illuminate both.

So whether a business is behaving morally is a legitimate question, as are questions about animal rights, deserving of discussion and careful consideration. If I consume products produced and marketed by a business that is behaving immorally, then I'm a stakeholder and I need to think about that. That is as true for the Third World sweatshop as it is for the Iowa corporate hog factory.

When my underwear wears out, chances are I'll go out and buy something manufactured in the third world --- I think I need underwear, don't sew and can't find another source. But I want to be aware of what my purchase represents and what the implications will be if I stop wearing underwear.

Exploitation of labor is of major concern. In the U.S. and U.K. exploited labor organized and after a good deal of violence prevailed at least for a time within a democratic framework. In other parts of the world, exploited labor gave rise to communist regimes that seemed like good ideas at the time, then turned into exploiters themselves.

Health care, food on the table, clean water, clothes on our backs, even wars revolve around economies, so we can't avoid being concerned about them and trying to participate in conscious-driven ways.

I don't know the answers, but surely do intend to keep searching for them thoughtfully and appreciate conversations like this, even though they do seem circular sometimes.

[GKK]

[oneputt]

[sorianofan]

[GKK]

[sorianofan]

Yet in China, you go to a secret prison and "disappear" for writing a book about alternative Christianity. Cjhina has a terrible and oppresive government. It drives people to desperation, and brings out the worse out of people. I apologize for my tone, because I just talked to a neighbor's brother who was a slovenian partisan and though he appears to be a good man, tyranny drove him to kill. An 8 hour work day does not justify the enslavement of Chiona's people politically. I mean no offense to anyone here.
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Cats rule and that is the truth.

[orPowers]

Wow
It is amazing at times to be a newcomer and see what has gone on before. This is a topic that clearly brought out some strong emotions, and yet I didn't see us channeling those emotions into real workable solutions to a very real problem. The question still remains as to how we can help the situation, and both approaches DO have value. I thinkit is clear that the problem is predatory business practices of multinational corporations, the question is how to address the problem in real terms. Nike did not abandon it's practices, it just abandoned the contractors who were providing what they wanted at the price AND lack of responsibility they required. Clearly, a boycott couched in terms of "stop doing this here" is not enough; it needs to be couched in terms of "show that you are improving the conditions of the people who ARE providing you with the service NOW." Anyone who sets up and perpetuates a boycott needs to think in terms of real benefit to the people directly involved, the sweatshop workers, or the accusation that the only concern is to take back the jobs that have been exported seems valid. I'd venture to say that a boycott COULD be valid, if the organizers took responsibility for ALL the results of their actions. Now that there has been a short hiatus of entries on the subject, can we get back to the question of how we can impact the issue positively without getting emotional about whether you are supporting exploitation if you don't share my views? Hopefully there are some positive directions we can move, and I would really like to know, because I AM ignorant, but concerned.
PS. I was going to leave it there, but I remembered a comment made by Kale about "Fair Trade Certified" goods. I am currently checking the Wikipedia article on the subject http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_trade and will check into the organizations listed to see if there might be lists of organizations which avail themselves of the services of such practicioners. As it stands right now, I think I would probably buy what little I do buy from such companies as a preferred vendor at least.
PPS. Well, it appears that fairtrade labelling is a great idea that has been applied to agricultural products and handicrafts. That would explain why it is hard to find the labels on clothing products. Does anyone know if and how the idea has been expanded to cover such products and the primary concerns of "sweatshops?" ..... still checking
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Romans 8:38-39

my blog: http://mild-side.blogspot.com/

[sorianofan]