: The US went through it's own period of Sweat shop evolution as part of it's transition to a level where most, and I emphasise most, of the masses have some level of comfort and security to their lives. I have spent many years in third world counties and I can tell you that most of the workers in these situations prefer it over the alternative;;; starvation for themselves or their families. It is easy in this situation to take advantage of the workers but in many cases the prosperity the "company"/country sees from these shops forces them into the international world and forces them to apply a level of worker rights. This is going on today in Korea. Labor unions are now in a position to work out problems with work conditions, benefits, salaries, etc. But it wasn't long ago that they all worked for nothing in conditions you cannot even imagine.
This is such crap: because American Workers worked in sweatshops generations ago, its OK for others, too. I think that we as a species have evolved beyond this to the point where we can say no to exploitation. In addition, one of the main reasons people in the Third World are starving in non-sweatshop conditions is because of western people (misssionaries, as well as multinationals) insisting that the only way for 'these people' to improve their conditions is to develop a western economy. I think all the failure of the World Bank have proved that this is not the case. Western economies are not the answer for all the people of Earth; some cultures and societies would be better off remaining traditional, tribal, or otherwise non-westernized.
: As far as MDs use of sweat shops for a fast buck... this is where you show your short-sightedness in economics. MDs is at a level of high scrutiny and makes enough on everything else they produce to avoid taking on the international liability of known forced labor manufacturing in China. I am not saying that this could not happen. Big business never surprises me, but I get tired of people like yourself making conslusions with little or no data.
Are you kidding? Why don't you see where these toys are made? You have obviously seen the mcspotlight web site; are you blind? The very fact that MCD is Huge Business means that it can get away with things most of us cannot, or consider fair.
: In response to your critisism of the collector "Judge not lest ye be judged. I am sure your navel lint collection is one for the books. The fact is you have your interests as does everyone else. Your critisism only shows your lack of self confidence by trying to lower everyone else.
Ditto for you.
