April 24, 2008
Economics not considered in the sweat shop protests
Last week when the SESJ decided to stage a protest in President Dennison’s office they overlooked a very important part of the sweatshop issue, the economics of the situation. Economics? Isn’t that just a fancy word rich Republicans use while they fly around in their private jets? No it’s not, and its more important than the SESJ can grasp.
Let me say first that I’m not supporting sweatshops, and no human being should be subjected to abuse and neglect in the workplace or anywhere else for that matter. But consider what happens if the university enacts a policy like the one the SESJ has proposed. Say the university boycotts one of their clothing manufacturers until the employees get a raise and improved working conditions. Well, in order for that to happen the owners are going to have to spend more money on wages and to make improvements to the facilities. In turn they are going to start raising the prices on the goods they sell to the university. So when people back here in the states see that the prices of the products they were going to buy have increased steeply they are going to buy less products. In turn the university sells less, so they buy less from the manufacturer, and the manufacturer makes less money. That’s a basic economics lesson for you.
So what happens when the manufacturer can’t sell enough products and make enough money to cover the increase in employee wages? I guarantee they won’t take a hit in their own pocket; they will get rid of employees. It’s a hell of a lot better for poor people in China to make fifty cents an hour than zero cents an hour. And what if the university boycotts a manufacturer all together? Well, I guess then they would be forced to fire ALL their employees. Boycotting a supplier of Grizwear could put hundreds of very needy people out on the street. Nice job SESJ!
I understand that it’s not the fairest of systems we have on this planet but that’s the way it is. The economics of China and other manufacturing countries are tied directly to the supply and demand of the rest of the globe. You’re not going to put an end to sweatshops, SESJ, but you might put an end to one, and put the very people you’re trying to help out onto the street. So think about the whole picture next time you hold a protest when President Dennison isn’t even in the country (for the second time by the way). For future reference when the police ask you nicely to leave or get arrested, and you choose to stay, you deserve to get thrown in jail.
–Adam Cummings,
Sophomore, Business
Administration
