Hypocrisy part 2

Let's talk about manufacturing in China. Let's remember that it wasn't too long ago that China was a closed off communist country that the Western world supported with shipments of wheat and other food.

It's still a communist country that has adopted its own brand of capitalism, fueled by the Western world's desire for cheap goods. So, courtesy of China we have $29 DVD players at Walmart and a totally decimated manufacturing sector in North America.

Over the years we in the west have made up rules for the types of working conditions that we find acceptable for Chinese factories. Every now and again, there's a hue and cry about child labour, but that doesn't stay on the front pages too long. There are tortured arguments suggesting that a factory worker making virtually starvation wages in a factory is better off than if they'd stayed as a subsistence farmer in a little village.

So, in general, we're OK with that. We look the other way. Not that we would tolerate that over here.... or would we? Do a Google search on prison labor statistics. Happy reading. Are we all OK with that?