Slavery in Modern Times
Slavery has been around for thousands of years. Slaves are individuals who are bound in servitude as the property of a slave-owner or household. We can trace slavery back to when the Bible was being written and also the Code of Hammurabi which was written around 1760 B.C. It has made some very wealthy, while haunting the the minds of others. Along with terrorism, slavery is one of the most embarrassing and darkest aspects of mankind.
The idea around slavery is free labor. Businessmen limit their costs and maximize their profits, with not a care in the world for a human life. Growing up, you most likely have heard primarily about the European use of slaves for agricultural labor. The reason for this is due to the massive size of the European slave trade. Slavery, however, did not end with the illegality of such practices. At this very moment, slavery is ongoing. In countries like Niger, roughly 8% (800,000 people) of the country are slaves. Slavery exists in every corner of the Earth, noticed or not.
Sweatshops might as well be labeled slavery. The conditions are harsh, the pay is low, and the hours are long. Many large, International corporations have been known to use sweatshops as a source for cheap labor. The rapper Sean John’s clothing company, Sean John Clothing, is just one example. In 2003, Honduran garment factory workers were paid $.24 for each $50 dollar Sean John sweatshirt, $.15 for each long-sleeved t-shirt, and $.05 for each short-sleeved t-shirt. However, American currency is more valuable than Honduras’, but are sweatshops ethical? How low will corporations go to lower their costs? Is it more valuable than a human life? I’m afraid not.
