Child Labour and Ethics
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Utilitarianism
We have all heard that child labour is a bad thing, however, lets try and think – is it, really?
By introducing child labour companies save millions of dollars which are passed to the consumer as a cheaper price on products they buy from our firm, if there are more profits there are more taxes paid to the Government. By having better profit margins our company is able to pay bigger dividends to shareholders thus giving them a better return on their investment and making them richer.
And to top it off, the children are not being forced to work – they are working out of their free will – what our company does is give children the opportunity to earn some extra money if they feel like it.
In the end, every stakeholder is better off if our company and other companies use child labour!
Deontological
Our society sets the rules for what is right and wrong, what is allowed and what isnt. However, different countries have different ideas about justice, fairness and rights.
For example in America and Japan you are forbidden to give expensive gifts to your bosses as it is considered bribery, while in Russia and some of European countries you are welcome to do that!
So how can people from one society judge that something is wrong that what another society considers right – shouldnt it be left for them to decide, how can we impose our point of view on everyone else – this is called Tyranny is it not?
If China allows Nike to employ children – why should we judge them?
Isnt it the childs right to decide whether to work for Nike or not ?
We give children the possibility to make money if the want to – if they need money – they come and work for us, if they dont- then they dont.
In Arab Emirates it is forbidden for women to work, should Arab companies be forbidden to employ women when they base their operations abroad? Isnt this limiting to peoples freedom and choices?
Giving more choices to everyone, thats our motto!
Virtue Ethics